Pakistan’s very own awami leader, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan almashoor (aka) Mr. Bean began the budget session on Monday, June 6, 2011 after his “threat” that he may not do so in “protest”. He also felt that his party’s lawmakers’ howling and shouting during the budget speech on Friday, June 3, 2011 was “too hard” but that he had no other option than doing so against a government that “disregards parliamentary resolutions”. He rewinded his long running tape of “bad governance” and blamed President Asif Ali Zardari as responsible for all the ills facing the PPP-led coalition and the government.

Though he has apparently toned down, the simple reason is that he forgot that a provincial budget will be announced in Punjab as well on 10^th June, 2011. The budget in Punjab will be presented by none other than “Khadim-e-Aala”, “Naqqara-e-Inqalab” and many times “mian” Shahbaz Sharif, in the absence of a finance minister in the province. With the PPP having at least 106 members in the Assembly, which is much smaller in size and space compared to the National Assembly and where retail TV channels can air the proceedings live without possible censorship, PML-N and its leadership is having sleepless nights over the prospects of presenting the budget in a tit-for-tat scenario. On top of that, PPP may be joined by at least 40 MPAs belong to PML-Q. Now that may for sure resonate like a “machhli bazaar”.

Now wont that be makafat-e-amal? Hopefully, the PPP will choose not to disrupt the proceedings, but then, our retail media and the “civil society” will not see the gesture. Why would they see that? Punjab’s budget will be an awami budget with subsidies to the public and without “hukmaraon kee ayyashi”.

PML-N tones down attacks in NA

Dawn, June 7, 2011

ISLAMABAD, June 6: Three days after the budgetday rumpus, tempers seemed cooled down in the National Assembly on Monday, with the opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan toning down attacks on the government and a senior member of the ruling PPP promising there will be no tit-for-tat in Punjab.

Chaudhry Nisar, opening the budget debate despite his earlier threats he might not do so in protest, acknowledged that Friday’s shouting and howling by his party’s lawmakers, which had drowned out Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh’s budget speech, was probably “too hard”.

But he said his party had no option but to protest after disregard of parliamentary resolutions by the government.

He was referring to several resolutions passed by the lower house in the past more than three years and the one adopted by an in-camera joint sitting of the two house of parliament last month after discussing the covert US commando operation that killed Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden at his Abbottabad hideout on May 2.

The opposition leader spoke very little about the budget in which he said he hardly saw anything for people’s welfare and devoted more of his criticism at alleged bad governance of the PPP-led coalition, which he largely blamed on President Asif Ali Zardari, and proceedings of the May 13 joint sitting that he said should be made public.

But his criticism was not as fiery as most of his previous anti-government tirades.

Responding to the opposition leader’s speech, former water and power minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who is also the secretary general of PPP’s electoral arm PPP Parliamentarians, asked the PML-N whether it would like the PPP and its allies in the Punjab Assembly to ‘besiege your finance minister’ on the provincial budget day.

“Our numbers are much bigger in the province, but we will not do it,” he said after calling for political tolerance.“We will take a democratic path.” Mr Ashraf had not finished his speech before Speaker Fehmida Mirza adjourned the house until Tuesday morning.

islamabad, june 6: three days after the budget- day rumpus, tempers seemed cooled down in the national assembly on monday, with the opposition leader chaudhry nisar ali khan ton- ing down attacks on the gov- ernment and a senior mem- ber of the ruling ppp promis- ing there will be no tit-for-tat in punjab. chaudhry nisar, opening the budget debate despite his earlier threats he might not do so in protest, acknowl- edged that friday’s shouting and howling by his party’s lawmakers, which had drowned out finance minister abdul hafeez shaikh’s budget speech, was probably “too hard”. but he said his party had no option but to protest after dis- regard of parliamentary reso- lutions by the government. he was referring to several resolutions passed by the lower house in the past more than three years and the one adopted by an in-camera joint sitting of the two house of par- liament last month after dis- cussing the covert us com- mando operation that killed al qaeda chief osama bin laden at his abbottabad hideout on may 2. the opposition leader spoke very little about the budget in which he said he hardly saw anything for peo- ple’s welfare and devoted more of his criticism at alleged bad governance of the ppp-led coalition, which he largely blamed on president asif ali zardari, and proceed- ings of the may 13 joint sit- ting that he said should be made public. but his criticism was not as fiery as most of his previous anti-government tirades. responding to the opposi- tion leader’s speech, former water and power minister raja pervez ashraf, who is also the secretary general of ppp’s electoral arm ppp parliamentarians, asked the pml-n whether it would like the ppp and its allies in the punjab assembly to ‘besiege your finance minister’ on the provincial budget day. “our numbers are much big- ger in the province, but we will not do it,” he said after calling for political tolerance.“we will take a democratic path.” mr ashraf had not finished his speech before speaker fehmida mirza adjourned the house until tuesday morning.

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