Budget 18/19 – A Month Before PMLN’s Government Steps Down?

Pakistan’s government is no stranger to crass decisions made in ludicrous manners. This is especially true when a party’s power is under threat. Similar was the case when the budget for 2018-2019 was announced, merely month prior to the termination of their service. Miftah Ismail was appointed as the Finance Minister to deliver the budget details amidst a chaotic display of political disregard by his colleagues. Political parties demonstrated their opposition in utter perplexity. Questions arose why an unelected person was granted the right to deliver the budget for an entire year. Even though a new government will be put in place soon after the general elections.

This was especially true considering the political party has no less than a month left in service.

In rebellion of this act, members of opposition parties such as PPP and PTI walked out amid the finance minister’s speech. However, they were observed returning merely moments later declaring brouhaha in an attempt to bring the speech to a halt. The National Assembly transformed from a platform made for pressing political matters to an avenue of incursion. Not only was there utter commotion but members of other political parties took to themselves to chant anti-government slogans disrupting the finance minister. These included “Go Nawaz Go” and a claim that both the Sharif brothers were no less than thieves.

An attempt to physically attack not only Ismail but the documents ensued as well.

The copies were torn to shreds and thrown towards the minister; who amid the commotion did not budge and continued his deliverance. Comically enough, the members of the PML-N party closed in on the minister to ensure nothing came in his way. Several notable persons were seen to merely sit afar and observe the tumult disclose.

The highlight of the event was the ruckus between PTI and PMLN members.

Breaking all decorum, a physical altercation between PMLN’s Abid Sher Ali and PTI’s Murad Saeed also took place. Video of the incident is doing rounds on social media since yesterday.

Different stories are coming up of who started the mess. PTI’s Shireen Mazari says Sher Ali was hurling verbal abuse towards her, following which her colleague Murad Shah got angry and the debacle got out of hand. Other’s, however, are just lamenting over Murad Saeed’s disrespectful behavior at the scene, calling into question PTI’s values itself.

Murad Saeed also spoke up.

Evidently so, senior leaders were seen to intervene and control the political madness. However, the ire of the members was evident. They claimed PML-N’s move to announce the entire year’s budget was nothing short of spiteful. They considered it a pitiful attempt to shun the next party’s decision. PML-N was asked to alter their decision and only allow an un-elected minister to declare the budget for the quarter. However, the PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi audaciously demanded Miftah Ismail to continue and declare it for the entire year.

Though questioned, the appointment of the last minute finance minister faced immense denunciation from the livid members of PTI and PPP. The political parties believed this move to go against the constitution. They called it a superfluous attempt by the president and prime minister to expand the assembly.

Despite the clear rejection of the budget by members present in the parliament; the Prime Minister remained unhinged and urged the Finance Minister to continue. He declared the announcement of the complete year’s budget a “right” given to them by law. This decision left both the policy and lawmakers torn as they struggled to fathom the agenda behind the move. They declared it a spiteful way for PML-N to take from the right of the next political party to be elected. Some even questioned their belief that they might again come into power.

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