Treasury In Punjab Assembly Comes To 'Realise' Opp's Weight.

LAHORE -- In a strange turn of events, the PML-N-led government in Punjab, that until a couple of days back was scornful of the very existence of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, seemed keen on having it in the House on Saturday.

It is a tradition in the Assembly that the very first reaction to the provincial budget comes from the Opposition after it is presented in the House. The Opposition leader is the one who kicks off the budget debate. A heated discussion then follows on the pros and cons of the budget involving the two sides and continues for at least four days.

At the outset, Panel of Chairman Khalil Tahir Sindhu invited Sibtain Khan, the Opposition Leader, to set the ball rolling knowing full well that he was not present in the House. But, perhaps, he was bound by the Assembly rules of procedure to do so. Not getting any response to his call from the Opposition benches, he then declared that the Opposition Leader had been contacted and he would soon be here to initiate the debate.

As the House was supposed to wait for the Opposition Leader, the presiding chairman adjourned the House for 15 minutes. But he did not turn up within the given time as being anticipated by many in the Assembly. When the House resumed its proceedings after a short break, it was decided that parliamentary leader of Rah-e-Haq Party Mohammad Moavia should perform the ritual. It was an embarrassing moment for the Treasury after having been able to present the budget with the help of the Punjab governor.

Taking place against this background, the Saturday's general debate in Punjab Assembly on the annual budget ended up being a lackluster exercise in the absence of the Opposition which is boycotting the budget session called by the governor.

'Mr. Chairman, we have to give relief to as many people as possible. Agricultural land in Punjab is rapidly declining and population is increasing. The government should formulate effective policy to save fertile agricultural land to avoid future difficulties', Moavia told the chair as he tried to fit himself in the opposition leader's role. Mr Moavia had voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the chief minister's election in April this year.

As per tradition, chair calls opp leader to...