Ishaq Dar presents Election Charge Expenditure Bill 2023 in NA

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday presented Election Charge Expenditure Bill 2023 before National Assembly (NA), ARY News reported. 

Supreme Court in its April 4 verdict, ordered the finance ministry to release Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan for the Punjab election.

The National Assembly will discuss the bill on Thursday as speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has forwarded the bill to the concerned committee.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was heading toward prosperity and became the world’s 24th-largest economy during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure.

But he was disqualified in Panama Papers and Imran Khan was ‘imposed’ on Pakistan in 2018, he added.

Foreign reserves were $24 billion and the growth rate was 6pc, when Nawaz Sharif was ousted, Ishaq Dar said and held Imran Khan responsible for the economic turmoil.

“Incumbent govt inherited ill-economy.” Ishaq Dar said the PDM parties put their politics on stake for the survival of the state.

Citing the current economic situation, Ishaq Dar said immediate elections are not in favour of Pakistan.

Read more: Punjab election: Finance ministry prepares report regarding funds

Finance Ministry’s report

Finance ministry has prepared a summary for the federal cabinet and Parliament regarding the provision of funds for Punjab elections, said sources.

The sources said the summary finalisaed by the finance ministry mentioned difficulties in the availability of large sums of money for elections separately۔

Sources having knowledge of the matter said that no money was kept in the budget for the elections and now it is difficult to take out Rs21 billion for the Punjab elections.

Read more: Punjab election: Finance ministry prepares report regarding funds

The report further stated that every pool has its budget and expenses if anyone of them is disturbed, there will be financial problems. The details regarding education, health, energy, law and order, defense and planning, are also included in the summary۔

Sources further said funds for the election will be kept in the next budget.

SC order

A three-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar declared the ECP’s order postponing the provincial assembly elections until October 8 as “unconstitutional” and ordered the government to release Rs21 billion funds for elections in Punjab by April 10.

Punjab election schedule

Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced the schedule for elections in Punjab — which are to be held on May 14.

According to the electoral watchdog (ECP) notification, the polling for the Punjab Assembly elections will be held on May 14, 2023. The ECP also withdrew its earlier schedule regarding the holding of general elections in Punjab in October.

As per the schedule, appeals can be filed against the decisions of Returning Officers regarding rejection or accepting nomination papers on April 10.