Opposition wants govt employees salary rise to be doubled; calls budget unconstitutional

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The opposition in the National Assembly urged the government to raise salaries of government employees and pensions from the proposed 10 percent to 20 percent.

Taking part in budget debate in the National Assembly, the opposition termed the budget unconstitutional as the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award had not been announced for last two years. Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Shazia Marri said the government should have announced National Finance Commission (NFC) award before presenting the budget. “National census should be conducted in the country for proper surveys and making appropriate budgetary proposals,” said Marri.

Related: Federal Budget 2016-17: Federal govt employees get 10% increase in salaries

Another PPP legislator Ramaish Lal emphasized the need for a twenty percent raise in salaries of government employees. He said there was no reasonable allocation in the federal budget for the welfare of minorities. He also said that the five percent job quota for minorities was not being implemented.

MQM’s Ali Raza Abidi said there was a need to conduct national census in the country. “Without having the idea of population, the government cannot make budgetary proposals,” said Abidi.

A treasury benche lawmaker Khusro Bakhtiar said Pakistan had a clear foreign policy. He stressed the need to impose an agriculture tax.

Read More: Finance Minister unveils Federal Budget 2016-2017

Head of Qaumi Watan Party, Aftab Sherpao, asked the speaker to give a ruling about the airing and publishing of expunged words from the proceedings of house. To this Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the media should not reproduce words expunged from proceedings.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to wind up the on-going budget debate in the National Assembly on either Wednesday (today) or Thursday.