Federal budget will easily sail through National Assembly: PM Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has hosted a dinner in honour of the government and coalition lawmakers, however, senior members of Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) including Tariq Bashir Cheema have not attended the event, ARY News reported on Monday.

While talking to the lawmakers, PM Imran Khan said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is successfully governing the country despite facing many challenges and the federal budget 2021-22 will sail through the parliament tomorrow (Tuesday).

PM Khan said that the PTI-led government has proposed a pro-growth budget that will be passed by the parliament tomorrow.

The federal government is working for bringing institutional reforms, said PM. He congratulated the team who worked for introducing a great budget for the new fiscal year.

READ: PM IMRAN KHAN TO PERSONALLY OVERSEE PROCESS OF BUDGET PASSAGE

The premier said that controlling the inflation is the biggest challenge for the government and announced to bring an effective programme to end the inflation. He added that the government will directly assist the weaker segment through the Ehsaas programme and also taking steps for a targeted subsidy to them.

PM Khan was of the view that a mafia tried to create hurdles at the time of any reform and it is difficult to bring reforms without having a strong government. “Mafias used to take benefits of a corrupt system and always oppose the reformation process.”

“We are trying to bring reforms in hospitals, however, some complications are prevailing in this process. There is no one to attend a poor man in government hospitals. We want to introduce a system in government hospitals like private ones with checks and balances. In medical colleges, the standard of education is being improved.”

Regarding the economic growth, PM Khan said that if we compare the country’s economic progress amid the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan was among a few states where the growth rate is 4 per cent. We are going to introduce a package for the development of the agriculture sector. China has connected farmers through a virtual market.”

The premier said that the federal government has fought the challenges for three years and now the country is coming out of difficult times. He added that prices of essential commodities have increased globally, however, the federal government will soon control the inflation.

He also took notice of some lawmakers who have not attended the dinner and directed PTI’s Chief Whip in National Assembly Amir Dogar to ensure their presence. He thanked the coalition partners of the ruling PTI for supporting the federal government.

Sources told ARY News that PML-Q senior members including Tariq Bashir Cheema have not attended the dinner. The lawmakers told the media that Mutton Qorma, Seikh Kabab, Palak, Biryani and other dishes were served in the PM-hosted dinner.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed told the media that the whole assembly has attended the dinner where Imran Khan told them that Pakistan is coming out of its difficult time as all issues will be resolved by the PTI-led government.

Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said that all coalition partners have attended the dinner. He added that PM Imran Khan will fulfil all promises to the nation despite having hurdles.

READ: PAKISTAN WILL NOT PROVIDE BASES TO US: PM

Khattak said that the government is not facing any kind of pressure from the opposition parties as both sides have decided to run the assembly’s proceedings in a good environment.

Regarding the Line of Control (LoC) tensions, the defence minister said that India has shown ill-will despite getting offered by PM Imran Khan to improve bilateral ties.

He said that PM Khan had adopted the national stance for not allowing the United States (US) to use its bases for cross-border military actions after American forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. He said that they were not slaves and will independently make all decisions for national security.