ISLAMABAD – Opposition Leader Ch Nisar Ali Khan Monday said the
government has failed in addressing the real public to achieve targets
fixed for the current financial year.
“No aspect of this budget
deserves appreciation or desk thumping…The government did not
incorporate PML-N’s recommendation in budget in last two years,” he was
addressing the National Assembly debating the Federal Budget 2011-12.
He
proposed that the the budget making process should start in November or
December every year in the Parliament and its committees and the
bureaucrats of finance ministry had no right of making the budget.
“Instead of baboos, the budget should be made in this house by the people’s representatives,” he said.
“Today
sycophants have majority in the house and it is unfortunate that those
who criticize government policies have turned into minority,” he said,
adding that the government had missed all economic targets as GDP had
fallen from 4.5 to 2.5, savings have reduced from 15.4% to 13.5% while
investment had slashed from 15.8 to 13.5%.
Ch Nisar in his long
tirade disclosed that the government ministers took dictation from
military men during joint in-camera sitting of the parliament for
drafting resolution passed unanimously that was against the supremacy
of the parliament.
“During the joint sitting, some ministers
frequented my chamber for consultations on draft resolution but when I
came in the house they were not present there while Prime Minister was
sitting on his seat…..First I thought they would be consulting
President Zardari but later I came to know that the President was
abroad…Then I learnt that the missing ministers were taking military
top brass on board the text of the resolution that was quite a shame
for the whole parliament,” Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said.
He
said three main sectors including manufacturing, agriculture and
service had missed targets. “Inflation has soared from 9.1pc to 14.3pc
and according to some surveys to 18.6pc and 24.3pc. Deficit increased
from 4pc to 6pc while there was 15pc increase in public debt which has
now reached to the figure of Rs 1 trillion,” Ch Nisar said. He said
according Asian Development Bank report, 42.6pc people in Pakistan were
living below poverty line.
He proposed setting up of a
Monitoring Committee of the House to ensure implementation of the
budgetary proposals and submit report in the House after every three
months. Ch Nisar said the rulers were running the affairs of state in
Nero’s manner. “I admit that the PML-N’s protest during budget speech
was somewhat harsh but we were helpless as the treasury party was
continuously ridiculing parliament,” he said, adding the PML-N liked an
opposition that could protect parliament’s sanctity through
accountability of the government.
He said the masses had not
awarded the country to President Zardari on contract. “He (President
Zardari) has not won contract from masses to destroy the country…He has
no contract of trampling parliament’s supremacy and ridiculing
judiciary…He also has no right to sell country’s interests to
foreigners,” he said, adding that whenever in the past Zardari had
faced personal attacks, he delivered speeches across the country and
never hesitated in using Sindh card ‘but when the country is being
attacked he has sealed his lips.’
Ch Nisar said Prime Minister
addressed the nation for giving three year extension to one man (Army
Chief) but he did not appear on TV to address the nation on May 2 and
PNS Mehran attack incidents. Without naming Rehman Malik, he said that
one minister had the complaint with the opposition that the opposition
had no right to insult the government functionaries. “Stop lying to
nation you will face no insults….You are insulting the whole nation
through telling lies,” he said.
Sharing some other details of
in-camera joint sitting of the parliament, Opposition Leader said that
the parliamentarians from the treasury benches, during joint sitting,
were flattering military men that hurt him a lot. “When I challenged
some military officers on some points, I met hooting from the treasury
lawmakers,” he said. He said unanimous resolution passed by the
parliament threw in the bin at Clinton’s visit He announced that he
would expose all facts about in-camera joint session of the parliament
to the media so that the people could learn about real faces of some
men. “Deputy Chief of Air Staff said at one stage that they were clear
about Pakistan’s enemies but the confusion lied in policy making
institutions….I challenged him that who was at the helm of affairs in
1965, 1971, and 2001 and who were making and implementing the policies
at that times,” he said.
Nisar feared that the future of the
country was not safe in rulers’ hands. “The country has reached at the
brink of collapse….while the rulers have taken the country as their
ancestral inheritance…..Public money is being spent on the publicity
for image building of 19 years old student (Bilwal Bhutto)…..Rangers
have been provided to some private persons for security who safeguard
rulers’ vested interests in the times when people are dying with
hunger,” he said. Nisar said the foreign trips of President and Prime
Minister cost Rs 5.5 million daily to the people of the country. Online
