Opposition’s strength in parliament has exposed today: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has praised the Lower House members for passing the Finance Bill 2020-21 and said that the opposition’s strength in the Parliament has exposed today, ARY News reported on Monday.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while talking to journalists in the Parliament House, said that it was an illusion of the opposition for ending confidence of lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the central leadership. He added that the opposition leaders faced failure despite deceiving the federal government many times.

The foreign minister termed it opposition’s belief for an in-house change as ‘fantasy’. He said that it has been proved today that Prime Minister Imran Khan has the confidence of the parliament, whereas, the opposition’s strength was fully exposed.

The nation has witnessed that the opposition has no ideology but to remove Imran Khan from his position, said Qureshi, adding that why shouldn’t Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) go-ahead to merge both political parties into one if their agenda is same.

He said that PTI-led federal government is a barrier for those willing to create anarchy in the country.

Earlier in the day, the National Assembly passed the Finance Bill 2020-21, giving the go-ahead to the budgetary proposals for the upcoming financial year, ARY News reported.

The bill was moved by Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar said the government presented a tax-free budget and it envisages relief measures not only for the construction sector but also for the promotion of mobile phone manufacturing and electric vehicles.

He said it is the first time that the annual development plan carries the biggest allocations for Balochistan and Sindh.

The Minister clarified that the government has not increased the sales tax or petroleum development levy on petroleum products. He said fuel prices have been increased keeping in view the upward trend in the international oil market.

“Mafias in oil, sugar and flour will be brought to justice,” he added.