Pakistan National Assembly rejects motion seeking supplementary sum of Rs 21 billion for polls in Punjab

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 18 : The Pakistan National Assembly on Monday rejected a motion seeking a supplementary sum of Rs 21 billion for elections in Punjab, Dawn reported.

The Pakistan Supreme Court last week directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to "allocate and release" Rs 21 bn by April 17 for elections in two provinces from the Federal Consolidated Fund (FCF) "lying under its control and management".

The apex court had also instructed the central bank to send an "appropriate communication" to this effect to the finance ministry in this regard, the Dawn said.

A meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was called earlier on Monday to discuss the SC order regarding the disbursement of funds.

A press release issued after the meeting stated that the Committee had unmously recommended the Finance Division that the matter of releasing funds be placed before the NA "in the form of a bill through the federal cabinet" in order to comply with the top court's orders.

A meeting of the federal cabinet was held later in the day wherein the government decided that the summary sent by the finance ministry, based on the recommendations made by the NA body, would be referred back to Parliament, the Dawn reported.

"The federal cabinet has referred a summary by the finance ministry, based on recommendations made by the NA Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on providing the election commission with funds for elections in Punjab and KP, to Parliament," a handout issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

The matter was then raised in a session of the NA held after the cabinet meeting. During the session, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in exercise of its power, had delayed polls in Punjab till October citing the lack of finances and the security situation, Dawn reported.

"In such economic circumstances if elections are held again and again for the sake of one man's ego, it is not in the country's interest," he said, according to Dawn.

He went on to say that the federal government, in light of SC's directives, had presented a bill in the lower house of parliament for treating the funds required as a "charged expenditure". "But this House after thorough deliberations, rejected the bill," Tarar further said.

He noted that the SBP was directed by the SC to transfer Rs 21 bn to the ECP from the FCF but added that under the Constitution only the lower house of Parliament could give the approval for doing so.

He said that the NA standing committee had told the Finance Division to take this matter to the cabinet which then referred the matter to the NA which had the authority to approve or disapprove additional expenses under Articles 82 (2) and 84 of the Constitution, according to Dawn.

He then presented a motion seeking a supplementary sum of Rs 21 bn to meet the expenditures for elections in Punjab. The motion was subsequently rejected by the House and the NA session was later adjourned till noon tomorrow (Tuesday).

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