Mini-budget: Coalition partners come in support of PTI govt

ISLAMABAD: The coalition partners of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have come in support of the federal government to pave way for the supplementary finance bill (mini-budget) to sail through the parliament.

The federal government had deferred the approval of the mini-budget which was scheduled to be tabled in the National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday (yesterday), however, it managed to gain the confidence of its coalition partners once again.

Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) has already expressed agreement to support the government’s mini-budget, whereas, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) also affirmed to back it if new taxes were not imposed on the common man.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair three important sessions including the federal cabinet, the parliamentary party session and PTI’s central executive committee today ahead of the tabling of the supplementary finance bill (mini-budget) in the Lower House of the Parliament.

On the other hand, the opposition parties have chalked out plans to block the mini-budget in the National Assembly Parliament which is likely to be tabled on December 31.

It was learnt that the opposition parties had tried to convince the coalition partners not to support the supplementary finance bill when it is tabled in the parliament. However, their efforts went in vain as the coalition partners decided to throw weight behind PTI-led federal government.

Mini-budget

Ahead of the sixth review of the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board, the federal government has decided to introduce an amended finance and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) autonomy bills in the Parliament on December 28 (today).

It may be noted here that the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board will hold its sixth review of the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) on January 12.

Shaukat Tarin, who had sworn in as the federal minister yesterday after becoming a senator, said that Pakistan will accept the IMF conditions prior to the upcoming review meeting. He had announced that the government will withdraw Rs350 billion worth of tax exemption through the mini-budget.

The opposition decided to block the passage of the mini-budget, claiming that it will increase the financial burden on the nationals who are already suffering the blows of inflation and unemployment.

The major opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had rejected the plan of mini-budget and announced to block the passage of the mini-budget in the National Assembly with full strength against the ‘economic terrorism’ of the federal government.

It emerged earlier that the federal government had planned to pass the mini-budget through an ordinance, however, the reports were rubbished by the information minister, clarifying that the fate of the mini-budget will be decided by the Parliament.

The minister had announced that the government will get support from its coalition partners including Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).