ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar tabled the Money Bill 2023 before the National Assembly on Monday, calling on the lawmakers to discuss and decide on funds allocation for elections to the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Bill titled “Charge Sum for General Election Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bill, 2023” was tabled in the light of the federal cabinet’s decision during the 51st session of the National Assembly.
Dar referred to the multiple verdicts of the Supreme Court and the House’s resolution in the context of the Bill, claiming the Supreme Court’s majority decision of 4-3 had negated the suo moto notice.
The House had emphasized that the government should not implement the 3-0 decision of the apex court, which was a minority verdict.
The finance minister said that in the light of the House’s resolution, the federal cabinet had deliberated upon the Supreme Court decision and decided that the decision to allocate funds for provincial assemblies’ elections of KP and Punjab should be tabled before the House for discussion.
He added that the Supreme Court, in its decision, had directed the federal government to provide Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold provincial elections. The elections would be held without general elections of the National Assembly, Sindh, and Balochistan assemblies, he said.
The Money Bill 2023 was tabled as per Article 81-E of the Constitution, the minister added. He assured the House that the coalition government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was committed to eradicating terrorism and resolving the country’s economic, political, and constitutional crises to ensure prosperity and development for the nation.
The speaker announced that the Bill was automatically referred to the committee.
In the preamble of his speech, Dar mentioned that Pakistan had repaid $12 billion in foreign debt from July 2022 to date, and the country was paying each foreign payment on time.
He stated that Pakistan had $9.6 billion in foreign exchange reserves at present, including $4.10 billion with the State Bank of Pakistan and $5.50 billion of commercial banks. The minister said that the government had a strategy to take the country’s foreign exchange reserves to $13 billion by June 30.
Dar added that the government had improved its relations with friendly countries and international partners and taken measures to stop the illegal flight of capital from the country.
He also highlighted the prime minister’s austerity measures to control the country’s expenditures and the government’s policy to end un-targeted subsidies and provide targeted subsidies to deserving low-income people.
The funds for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) had also increased from Rs. 360 billion to Rs. 400 billion, he said.
The minister emphasized the government’s belief in the supremacy of Parliament and upholding the constitution and law of the land. He criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for creating constitutional and legal crises in the country and insulting people’s mandate by tendering their resignation from the National Assembly.
He said that the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were dissolved on instructions from Imran Khan before the legitimate period to create uncertainty in the country.
He said that elections should be held in the country as per the law and constitution but conducted across the country on the same day under the supervision of caretaker governments to ensure fairness and transparency. He said that holding elections simultaneously would decrease the total expense.
