The National Assembly during its session today approved one hundred and seven supplementary demands for grants relating to different ministries and departments for the outgoing fiscal year.

Earlier, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Hammad Azhar said the government has substantially brought down the supplementary demands for grants. Last year, these stood at 599.4 billion rupees whilst this year they stand at about two hundred billion rupees. He said the opposition parties should appreciate the reduction in the supplementary budget.

The National Assembly is continuing discussion on the supplementary demands for grants pertaining to different ministries and departments for the outgoing fiscal year. The opposition members said the government should ensure fiscal discipline and discourage supplementary grants. They also criticized the government’s economic policies saying these have resulted in price hike.

Leader of Opposition Shahbaz Sharif said the House should hold discussion on the foreign policy issues.

Responding to him, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government has no objection to it. He said there should be bipartisan approach on the foreign policy.

The Foreign Minister said this time the house held unprecedented discussion on the budget and the economy.

The Speaker said he supports the idea of holding discussion on the economy, foreign policy, water and the agriculture.

Responding to the points of the opposition members on the supplementary demands for grants, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Hammad Azhar said the present government has substantially brought them down. He said last year these stood at 599.4 billion rupees while this year they stand at two hundred billion rupees.

The House also passed a resolution strongly condemning the language used by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against the Speaker National Assembly yesterday.

The resolution was moved by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari demanding an apology on the floor of the House.—RadioPakistan