PTI slams Rs5.9 trillion budget over ‘poor welfare focus’

The Punjab Assembly saw a tense and heated budget debate on Friday. The opposition strongly criticised the

The Punjab Assembly saw a tense and heated budget debate on Friday. The opposition strongly criticised the provincial government’s Rs5.9 trillion budget. They said it focuses more on political branding than public welfare.

Opposition Leader Muhammad Moeen ud Din Riaz Qureshi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led the criticism. He said the budget does not provide real relief to the public. He said people are facing rising inflation, unemployment, and poor public services.

He said large amounts of money were allocated for development projects. But, according to him, many projects are still incomplete. He claimed that new schemes are being launched without completing older ones.

He raised concerns over the use of development funds. He said billions were set aside for rural development projects. However, he alleged that the funds were not properly used.

He also pointed to several major projects. These included the Data Darbar development project, Nawaz Sharif Medical District, Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer, Maryam Nawaz Sports Complex, and Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics. He said these projects have shown slow or limited progress.

Qureshi criticised the practice of naming public projects after political figures. He said public money should not be used for political branding. He demanded transparency in development spending.

He also proposed a digital system for budget monitoring. He said lawmakers should be able to track spending and project progress in real time.

The opposition leader also spoke about economic conditions. He said inflation has made life very difficult for ordinary people. He claimed industries are closing and unemployment is increasing.

On agriculture, he criticised wheat import decisions. He said imports were made even when local stocks were available. He also claimed that cotton-growing areas are being converted for sugar-related industries.

He raised concerns about governance in several sectors. He said flood management remains weak. He said sanitation systems are deteriorating. He also said rural development projects have failed to deliver results.

He further accused the government of political victimisation. He said PTI leaders are being targeted in legal cases. He mentioned Imran Khan, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He also repeated PTI’s claims about the February 8 general elections. He said the public mandate was manipulated. He warned that PTI lawmakers may resign if the situation worsens for their party leader.

His speech was strongly opposed by Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman. He said the address was politically focused rather than budget-related. After this, treasury members briefly walked out of the session.

The opposition criticised the walkout. They said the government was avoiding debate and accountability.

Deputy Speaker Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channar intervened to restore order. He said the boycott was not in line with democratic traditions. He asked parliamentary leaders to bring treasury members back.