By Asim Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Parliament House will get an additional amount of Rs5 billion in the next fiscal year 2022-23 amid a recent unprecedented hike in fuel and electricity prices and inflation which the government declared that they have no other choice than taking difficult decisions.
The Parliament is comprised of the Upper House of the Parliament, Senate and Lower House- National Assembly- and it will receive additional funds as compared to the previous fiscal year under the heads of salaries of the employees, expenditures, and allowances.
The National Assembly will get an additional fund of nearly Rs3 billion as it would get a total of Rs34.53 billion during the next fiscal year.
It is pertinent to mention here that Finance Minister Miftah Ismail during his post-budget presser said that there is no choice for the government other than going out for difficult decisions.
Speaking during the post-budget presser while flanked by State Minister of Finance Aisha Ghous Pasha and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the finance minister said that the nation and history would not forgive them if Pakistan faces a Sri Lanka-like situation.
“Next year, the country will face a budget deficit of Rs4598 billion,” he said.
He said that the government was taking necessary difficult decisions and asked media to take into account the current situation and avoid unnecessary criticism. “We are not taking this money collected through difficult decisions to our home,” he said. Miftah Ismail said that in the budget, they have proposed the collection of more money from rich segments of the society rather than overburdening the poor and middle classes.
Speaking on a hike in salaries of employees despite austerity measures, Miftah said that they were able to set aside the money from the amount left in the exchequer.
