LAHORE – The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday approved Rs636.65 billion in budgetary demands for the fiscal year 2024–25, with significant allocations directed toward police, health, education, and public services. The approval came amid a tense session, marked by opposition protests and delays.
The session, presided over by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, began after a delay of over three hours. Treasury benches rejected all proposed cuts from the opposition and passed the grants for five key departments without any amendments.
According to the breakdown of approved funds:
- Police Department: Rs200.10 billion
- Primary and Secondary Healthcare / Specialized Healthcare: Rs258.97 billion
- School Education, Higher Education, and Literacy: Rs137.53 billion
- Agriculture: Rs26.53 billion
- Public Health Engineering: Rs15.16 billion
Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman defended the allocations, terming the budget “pro-people” and development-focused. He emphasized that the provincial government had increased the development outlay to Rs1.24 trillion, reflecting its commitment to infrastructure, education, and social uplift. He also noted reduced allocations for non-development expenditures and steps taken to curb circular debt.
However, the opposition strongly criticised the budget, questioning the performance of law enforcement agencies, healthcare delivery, and the quality of education. Some lawmakers accused the police of political victimisation and pointed out inefficiencies in agricultural reforms and delayed development in rural areas.
Despite the criticism, all grants were approved through majority vote. The Speaker announced that the Assembly would reconvene on Thursday at 11 AM to continue discussions and consider supplementary demands.
Reported by PakTribune Political Desk
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