The National Assembly’s and Senate’s Standing Committees on Finance and Revenue both rejected a bill titled “Charged Sum for General Election (Provincial Assemblies of Punjab & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Bill 2023″ on Thursday seeking funds for holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The finance ministry ‘apologized’ for providing funds for provincial elections during the meeting.
The development comes despite the Supreme Court’s orders for releasing Rs. 21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
During the meeting, Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha stated that Pakistan is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund due to a cash crisis and a massive deficit. She said that the government cannot exceed the allocated budget and that releasing more funds would exceed the IMF’s limit.
“We cannot provide any extra funds beyond the assigned budget as it would go beyond the IMF program and increase the deficit that we have agreed upon with them. Our aim is to restrict the deficit within the limits set by the IMF,” she commented.
Similarly, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue also considered the same bill and after short deliberations rejected it by a majority vote.
what a joke ! any finance student can expose them easily