Punjab rulers to hold 'own session' to present budget.

LAHORE -- Frustrated over its failure to present the province's budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 even after two consecutive days owing to a deadlock with the Punjab Assembly speaker, the PML-N-led coalition government in Punjab late on Tuesday came up with an alternative plan to hold the budget session at Aiwan-i-Iqbal on Wednesday (today) to ensure its smooth sailing.

When the Punjab Assembly proceedings could not proceed throughout Tuesday, Governor Balighur Rehman cancelled the ongoing 40th session and summoned the 41st at Aiwan-i-Iqbal at 2pm on Wednesday. However, despite the governor's orders, Speaker Parvez Elahi declared that the 40th session would continue.

It appears that for the first time, two parallel budget sessions would be held on Wednesday (today) - one at the Punjab Assembly attended by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PML-Q, and the other at Aiwan-i-Iqbal by the ruling allies PML-N and PPP.

'The 'session' to be attended by the PML-N and PPP lawmakers will be presided over by Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari of the PTI, who has informally joined hands with the rulers,' a PML-N lawmaker told Dawn.

Deadlock persists as Elahi insists he will chair sitting in PA building, other session has 'no legal standing'

On Tuesday evening, Speaker Elahi resumed the day's session and asked the 'temporary' provincial finance minister, Sardar Awais Leghari, to present the budget. Mr Leghari said the governor had prorogued the session and its proceedings would be illegal.

The speaker told the minister that the governor's decision had no legal value, and he should present the budget. When Mr Leghari did not follow the instructions, Mr Elahi adjourned the proceedings to 1pm on Wednesday.

On the other hand, citing rules, the PML-N claimed: 'The governor may from time to time summon the provincial assembly to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit and prorogue the provincial assembly.'

The deadlock between the treasury and the speaker persisted for the second consecutive day on Tuesday over the latter's demands that the provincial police chief tender an apology to him and all cases lodged against the PTI and PML-Q parliamentarians and workers be withdrawn, otherwise he would not allow the budget proceedings to begin.

Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, who looked frustrated at the speaker's tactics, announced he would come up with another strategy to deal with the problem. And holding a separate session appeared to be the...