National Assembly once again rejects motion to release funds for Punjab polls,
ISLAMABAD_Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that Pakistan has received a significant financial boost from Saudi Arabia and UAE, with the former giving $2 billion and the latter giving $1 billion, and that this injection of funds has also helped Pakistan to fulfill the conditions set by the IMF.
The premier attended the National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf chaired.
During the National Assembly session, Mr Sharif expressed condolences over the demise of Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the Minister of Religious Affairs, who passed away in a tragic road accident.
Talking about the precarious economic situation of the country, he said Mufti Abdul Shakoor was very concerned in this regard.
He said in view of that Mufti Abdul Shakoor proposed to invite overseas Pakistanis to sponsor their loved ones or themselves by sending foreign exchange for Hajj this year.
He said the cabinet approved that proposal, which was a great contribution of Mufti Abdul Shakoor to raise foreign exchange reserves of Pakistan.
The Prime Minister, however, announced that Saudi Arabia has deposited two billion dollars and another one billion dollars by the United Arab Emirates to increase foreign exchange reserves of Pakistan, fulfilling another condition of the International Monetary Fund.
Meanwhile, National Assembly on Monday rejected the motion moved by Law Minister Azam NAzir Tarar to issue funds for holding elections in Punjab.
National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf chaired the seesion in which Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar moved the House to approve the report of the Standing Commtitee.
NA approved report of the Standing Committee on the provision of funds for the Punjab elections in which SC had decided to release the funds subject to the approval of the Lower House of the Parliament.
The National Assembly rejected the demand to release Rs21 billion for elections in Punjab Islamabad.
NA rejected the law minister’s motion by majority vote.
It is pertinent to note that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supported the release of funds while government members opposed it.
The session of the National Assembly has been adjourned till 12 noon tomorrow
Cabinet once again refuses to release funds for polls in Punjab
The federal cabinet on Monday once again refused to release funds for elections in Punjab.
The cabinet has linked Parliament’s node to implement orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in releasing Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding elections.
A special meeting of the federal cabinet was held in Parliament House under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The apex court on Monday directed central bank regarding the provision of Rs21 billion for the Punjab election.
The cabinet reviewed money bill presented in the Finance Committee of the National Assembly.
According to the federal ministers, it was approved to present the matter of funds again in the parliament.
The Cabinet stopped the State Bank from directly providing Rs21 billion for the election.
Shehbaz Sharif led cabinet decided that recommendation of the Standing Committee and the Money Bill will be presented in the National Assembly.
In the meeting, a fatiha was recited for Minister of Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakur. Cabinet members paid tribute to the services of the deceased.
PM pays tribute to late Mufti Abdul Shakoor
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday paid tribute to late Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor who died in a traffic mishap in the Capital few days back.
Addressing a session of the National Assembly, the prime minister said that late Mufti was a renowned religious scholar and an honest and hardworking member of his cabinet.
The prime minister said that late Mufti ran his election campaign in his constituency on motorcycle.
During the cabinet meetings, he found late minister as a straight forward and clear minded speaker.
The prime minister said that due to his hard work and dedication, no complaints were reported during the Hajj arrangements when compared with those issues related to mismanagement that had emerged during the previous government’s tenure.
Late minister made excellent arrangements with his hard work and honesty, the prime minister further lauded.
“Today, not only this house and parliament, but the whole country lost a great scholar, mufti and thinker,” he added.
Former member of the cabinet had no other sources of income except his salary, he added.
The prime minister further said that late Mufti had been ‘a gem’ of the JUI-F.
The prime minister mentioned that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had gratuitously granted a loan of $2 billion to Pakistan, besides, the country received $1 billion committed by the United Arab Emirates.
He said all the terms of International Monetary Fund (IMF) had been met.
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