LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Friday passed with a majority vote the Finance Bill 2021 formally approving budget worth Rs2,653 billion for the financial year 2021-22.

Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht moved the bill when the House proceedings began two hours behind its scheduled time.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was also present at that time whose arrival was greeted by treasury members by thumping of desks. Many of them also congratulated him on the passage of the budget.

Law Minister Raja Bahsarat introduced the Ghazi Institute of Engineering and Sciences, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bill 2021 which was referred to the relevant standing committee with a direction of submitting its report on the bill within 60 days.

PML-N lawmaker Taufiq Butt, on a point of order, alleged that police were conducting raids at the homes of party workers and arrested a few of them in Gujranwala.

He said if anyone had committed any offence, cases should be registered against them instead of picking them illegally.

He claimed the workers were being targeted only because they had criticised the government on social media and asked if all those chiding the incumbent rulers for one reason or the other would be taken into custody.

Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi directed Law Minister Raja Basharat to look into the matter as the proceedings were put off for Monday afternoon.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2021