The National Assembly is continuing discussion on the budget for the year 2023-24.
Participating in the budget discussion, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said effort has been made in the budget to provide relief to the masses regardless of the difficult economic situation.
He pointed out that our interest on payments is more than the federal receipts.
Referring to tax evasion in different sectors, the Defence Minister stressed that we have to fix these problems and bring fundamental reforms.
Turning to the political situation, Khawaja Asif said a political party in the country is not waging political fight, but trying to take the state hostage.
Participating in the debate, Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif said the budget has been presented in a difficult economic situation. He said the country can move forward on the path of economic development by upholding the law and the constitution. He said the May 9 violent acts, never witnessed before, shook the entire country. He said the perpetrators and planners of these acts should be brought to justice.
Ghous Bux Mahar said the government should work for the welfare of the people. He said the focus must be given to the uplift of the agriculture sector through provision of incentives to the farmers including on solarisation of tube-wells. He said work should be accelerated on the CPEC.
Minister for National Food Security Tariq Bashir Cheema said the government is giving consideration to the promotion of agro based economy. He said there has been a bumper wheat crop this year. We are also a rice exporting country. He said this is the first budget in which allocations have been made for the solarization of tube-wells.
Ramesh Kumar said development funds should also be given for the welfare of minorities and renovation and rehabilitation of their worship places.
Syed Javed Hasnain was appreciative of the steps announced in the budget for the uplift of the agriculture sector. He noted that prosperity of Pakistan is linked with the wellbeing of farmers. He said agri-inputs should be provided to farmers on subsidized rates to enhance per acre yield.
Agha Hassan Baloch called for taking measures to facilitate fishermen of Balochistan. He said more steps are needed to flourish Pakistan-Iran trade. He said farmers of Balochistan should be facilitated by helping them shift their agri tube-wells on solar energy.
Syed Mobeen Ahmed said we should go for barter trade and enhance exports by curtailing imports to strengthen the economy. He said we should not hesitate to take tough decisions through collective wisdom to steer the country out of crises.
Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan said the coalition government presented a balanced budget with generous allocations for the agriculture, education, health and other sectors. He demanded of the government to enhance the budget for the BISP to provide relief to the maximum people.
Taking part in the budget discussion, Rana Qasim Noon emphasised the need to strengthen the rural economy.
He appreciated the budgetary allocations for the agriculture and the Information Technology sectors.
He proposed that Gwadar International Airport should be named after former Prime Minister Malik Feroz Khan Noon as recognition for his efforts for the accession of Gwadar to Pakistan. He said an industrial estate and a university campus should be established at Jalalpur Pirwala.
Syed Mehmood Shah called upon the government to provide a subsidy on fertilizers to facilitate farmers.
The House will now meet tomorrow at 11 a.m.
