ISLAMABAD: The Speaker National Assembly has thanked all the Members of the National Assembly specially the Leader of the Opposition, Ministers and Parliamentary Leaders of the political parties in the National Assembly for their active participation in the proceedings of the House.

He made these remarks while chairing the Budget Session of the National Assembly today. He said that the Budget Session summoned on 10th June, 2019 for consideration of budget for year 2019-20 would conclude on completion of its business today.

The Speaker considering that opportunity apt, mentioned that the relevant statistics compiled by the Legislative Wing of the National Assembly Secretariat. The Speaker informed that the general discussion on the Budget 2019-20 stretched over 10 days wherein 101 Members of the Opposition spoke on the Budget whereas; the 123 Members of the Treasury participated in the discussion.

The Speaker informed that 21 hours 31 minutes were allocated to Treasury and their allies accordingly to their proportionate strength in the Assembly whereas; Opposition side was allocated 19 hours and 21 minutes. He informed that against the allocated 40 hours for the budget discussion, the debate/discussion continued for 58 hours, out of which 29 hours and 54 minutes were consumed by Government whereas, the Opposition consumed 28 hours and 6 minutes, thus consuming 18 hours in excess to the agreed 40 hours. He mentioned that out of those excess 18 hours, 9 hours and 45 minutes were consumed by the Opposition.

The Speaker further informed that as per statistics compiled, 1622 cut motion were submitted on 10 Ministries chosen by the Opposition and discussion and voting in respect of expenditure other than charged expenditure (2019-20) and cut motions continued for 2 and half days. The Speaker informed that passage of Finance Bill, 2019 and supplementary demands and excess demands for grants consumed one day each.

The Speaker thanked the Treasury and the Opposition for their consistent presence in the House. He said that he had conducted the proceedings of the House in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. He said that he had been accommodating the Opposition to maximum extent which was evident from the statistics. —NNI