Mohsin Siddiqui (Chief Reporter)
The National Assembly of Pakistan has approved 117 demands for grants amounting to Rs6.87 trillion to fund the expenditures of various federal ministries and their departments for the financial year ending on June 30, 2025. This decision was made despite the opposition’s efforts to introduce cut motions.
Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, presented the demands for grants in the house. The approval was granted by a majority vote, rejecting all cut motions proposed by the opposition.
The opposition members had introduced over 55 cut motions related to the Cabinet Division’s 12 demands, totaling Rs41.7 billion. Additionally, 97 cut motions were moved for two demands of Rs701.1 billion for the Ministry of Energy, specifically the Power and Petroleum Divisions. The breakdown of these motions includes 77 for the Power Division’s Rs681.75 billion demand and 20 for the Petroleum Division’s Rs19.3 billion demand.
Despite these efforts, the finance minister opposed all cut motions, which were subsequently rejected through voice voting.
During the discussion, opposition members criticized the government for the alleged inefficiencies and failures of various ministries and departments. The demands covered a wide range of sectors including:
Defense Division Communications Federal Education and Professional Training Climate Change Geological Survey of Pakistan National Heritage and Culture Division Housing and Works Division Human Rights Division Industries and Production Information and Broadcasting Division IT and Telecommunication Division Combined Civil Armed Forces Inter Provincial Coordination Division Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division Maritime Affairs Division Narcotics Control Division National Assembly The Senate National Health Services Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Parliamentary Affairs Division Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division Privatization Division Pakistan Railways Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Division Science and Technology Division States and Frontier Regions Water Resources Division Aviation Division Commerce Division The approved demands signify the allocation of a substantial budget across numerous sectors. This includes critical areas such as defense, education, health services, and energy. The approval ensures that these ministries and departments will have the necessary funds to operate and implement their planned projects and initiatives over the next financial year.
The rejection of cut motions signifies the government’s strong stance on its budgetary allocations and priorities. The opposition’s failure to pass any of their motions indicates a solid backing of the government’s fiscal policies by the majority in the National Assembly.
This substantial financial approval is expected to impact various sectors significantly. For instance, the allocation for the Power Division is crucial for addressing Pakistan’s energy challenges, while funds for the Climate Change Division highlight the government’s commitment to environmental issues.
Furthermore, significant allocations to the Federal Education and Professional Training and National Health Services indicate a focus on improving public services. The budget also addresses infrastructure development, cultural preservation, and technological advancement.
