NAVEED BUTT
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will present the budget 2020-2021 in the National Assembly on June 12 for discussion and approval, it has been learnt.
According to the sources, the budget 2020-2021 would be presented in the National Assembly on June 12th, and it would also be laid before the Senate on the same day for discussion and recommendations.
President Dr Arif Alvi has already summoned session of the National Assembly at the Parliament House in Islamabad on June 5, 2020 at 4pm.
However, the sources said that the PTI government had also decided to summon a special joint-sitting of the Parliament under 18th Constitutional Amendment between June 5 and June 12 for passage of important bills.
According to Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh cannot present the budget in the National Assembly because he is not an elected member of the Parliament.
However, under Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, the Prime Minister can authorize any minister to present budget in the National Assembly.
According to Rule-184: “Presentation of the Budget;- The budget shall be presented by the Minister for Finance or, in his absence, any other minister authorized by the Leader of the House (PM), hereafter in this chapter referred to as the minister-in-charge.”
The sources said that it was up to the prime minister to authorise any minister to present Budget 2020-2021 in the National Assembly.
The Budget 2019-2020 was presented by the then Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar in the National Assembly.
They said that it was likely that Hammad Azhar, who is the current Federal Minister of Industries and Production, would present Budget 2020-2021 in the National Assembly.
Under Article-73 of the Constitution, the Senate would discuss the budget and present its recommendations in written form to the National Assembly within 14 days.
According to Article-73, “Provided that simultaneously when a Money Bill, including the Finance Bill containing the Annual Budget Statement, is presented in the National Assembly, a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the Senate which may, within fourteen days, make recommendations thereon to the National Assembly. (1A) The National Assembly shall consider the recommendations of the Senate and after the Bill has been passed by the assembly with or without incorporating the recommendations of the Senate, it shall be presented to the president for assent.”
The sources said that the Mutual Legal Assistance Bill, 2020, the ICT Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2020, The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and others are pending for passage from the joint sitting of the Parliament.
The sources said the parliamentary opposition parties might oppose the government plan to pass pending important legislation in coming joint session of the Parliament.
Background discussions with opposition lawmakers left the impression that they would not blindly accept the proposal to pass pending legislations in the joint session.
