NA begins second stage of budget approval

The second phase of the federal budget approval process will begin in Pakistan’s National Assembly today.

The second phase of the federal budget approval process will begin in Pakistan’s National Assembly today.

The lower house is scheduled to approve demands for grants for various ministries and divisions, while the opposition is set to move cut motions against the budgets of six ministries.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will present 135 demands for grants worth more than Rs104.14 trillion for approval. Out of these, 88 demands totaling over Rs43.85 trillion are expected to be approved without any cut motions.

The opposition will submit 587 cut motions against 47 demands for grants amounting to more than Rs60.29 trillion. Additionally, 91 cut motions will be moved on 19 demands related to the Cabinet Secretariat and its affiliated institutions.

Earlier, the National Assembly approved charged expenditures worth Rs407.41 trillion.

A total of 116 cut motions will be presented on six demands for grants exceeding Rs661.26 billion allocated to the Power Division.

The opposition will also move 100 cut motions on grants worth more than Rs42.82 trillion for the Ministry of Finance and 123 cut motions on four demands exceeding Rs74.35 billion for the Ministry of Interior.

For the Poverty Alleviation Division, 45 cut motions will be submitted on three demands for grants totaling more than Rs859 billion.

Government lawmakers have been directed to ensure their presence in the National Assembly during the budget approval proceedings.