Islamabad Pakistan January 15 ANI The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PML-N lambasted Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaaf PTI government for approving the supplementary bills or'mini-budget', and said that January 13 was the darkest day in the history of Pakistan. Referring to the passing of the State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill 2021 and the supplementary finance bills with a majority vote in the National Assembly NA PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that January 13 was the darkest day for the Parliament as the bills were approved without any discussion, according to Geo News.
Bills from NA session were approved in haste and even government was unable to elaborate the situation, said Abbasi, the former prime minister, who said bills were being passed without discussion in the Senate.
Abbasi said that the incumbent government is handing over the country's economic keys to the International Monetary Fund IMF and nothing more dangerous than that, and that the burden of more than 700 billion has been placed on the nation's shoulder, according to Geo News.
The State Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill 2021 and the supplementary finance bill called by the Opposition as a mini-budget gave effect to new tax measures in an ambitious bid to achieve a tax target of Rs 5.8 trillion as per the requirements of the International Monetary Fund.
The approval of the supplementary finance bill was necessary to ensure that Pakistan's sixth review of the USD 6 billion Extended Fund Facility EFE received clearance from the International Monetary Fund's Executive Board, which is scheduled to meet later this month to decide the disbursement of the USD 1 billion tranche.
Abbasi went on to say that no rules and constitutional guidelines were followed during the voting for the bills and it all happened in the prime minister's presence.
He lashed out at federal ministers, saying they admitted they were compelled to pass the bill under pressure from the IMF.
Why are you defending the supplementary bills when you have to pass them? He asked. He said that he was not ready to hand over the country's economy to the IMF for the sake of a USD 6 billion loan.
Abbasi stated that such things happen when a disgraced government comes to power and the prime minister tells lies. PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal also spoke during the press conference, and he said that January 13 was the darkest day in history, as he begged before the NA Speaker that the bill regarding the SBP is against Pakistan but it has been approved in violation of all the rules and regulations, according to Geo News.
Six months ago, Iqbal said that the finance minister painted a rosy picture about the country's historic tax collection targets, but the government ended up economically suppressing the masses.