ISLAMABAD: The Finance Minister Dr Miftah Ismail is likely to wind up of general discussion on the Budget for the year 2018-2019 today (Friday) in the lower house of the Parliament. Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Thursday, concluded the debate on budget in the Senate.
A source told Customs Today that Finance Minister was very likely to wind up general discussion on the budget today (Friday). Prior to speaking in the National Assembly, the Finance Minister has very tight schedule of having detailed briefing on the budgetary proposals and recommendations referred by the Senate as well as by the members of the Lower House of the parliament.
The source said that during the general discussion on the budget in both the Houses of the parliament, Finance Minister had deputed well reputed officials from the Finance Ministry to note down and compile the important suggestions and recommendations to the budget from the members of the parliament.
“Now the general discussion has almost concluded therefore, the Finance Minister is analyzing the proposals and recommendations minutely” the source said adding that Finance Minister was very much sensitized about the wording of his speech as he was not willing to make any such promise or commitment in the budget which may be hard nut to crack.
The source said that before the winding up of the budget debate, Chairman National Assembly Finance and Revenue committee Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh would present four reports of the committee on different amendment bills in the House.
“These reports are on ‘ The Banks (Nationalization) (Amendment) Bill, 2018,’ ‘The Loans for Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ ‘ The Investment Corporation of Pakistan (Repeal) Bill, 2017’ and ‘ The SBP Banking Services Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017’. All these bills will be made part of Finance Bill 2018-19 along with the Budget” the source added
