Allocation of funds requires approval from parliament: Pasha
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
National Assembly on Monday approved a summary, sent by the NA Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, recommending non-provision of funds for elections to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The National Assembly rejected the motion moved by Law Minister Azam NAzir Tarar to issue funds for holding elections in Punjab.
National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf chaired the session in which Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar moved the House to approve the report of the Standing Committee. NA approved report of the Standing Committee on the provision of funds for the Punjab elections in which SC had decided to release the funds subject to the approval of the Lower House of the Parliament.
Earlier, the issue of allocation of funds for holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa became more complicated as the committee sent the summary, presented by federal law minister Azam Nazir Tarar before the NA, to the federal cabinet which, in turn, sent it back to the parliament.
This was announced by Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha after the meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance. She said neither the SBP nor the Finance Division had the authority to allocate funds from the Federal Consolidated Fund. She said the allocation of funds required approval from parliament. “Without the approval of parliament, no bill or budget has any legal authenticity.”
“Hence, we leave the matter up to parliament now. Parliament is supreme for us because this is what is written in the constitution.” Regarding today’s (Monday) meeting, she explained that the SBP could only allocate the money but could not release it.
The Finance Division can only act on the orders of the federal cabinet. It is up to the cabinet to take the matter to parliament if parliament approves, the funds will be disbursed today, she added.
Meanwhile, Tarar, while addressing the NA session, maintained that the SBP was not authorized to release funds adding that it was the prerogative of the NA and the ministry of finance and revenue.
Speaking on the floor of the house, Nazeer arar reiterated his earlier statement.
