ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to speak at the budget session of the National Assembly today (Wednesday).

Representatives of the treasury benches will hold talks, according to a report in Daily Jang, with Opposition members to persuade them not to obstruct the prime minister’s speech.

The session is scheduled to begin at 11:30am.

A few days before the budget was approved by the National Assembly on Tuesday, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif was interrupted multiple times before he was allowed to speak on the budget.

The Parliament had turned into a fish market with abuses and punches hulred between government and Opposition lawmakers.

NA passes Finance Bill 2021 by majority vote

The government had been able to pass the budget with a majority when many PML-N members were absent from the House.

The PPP had attended yesterday’s session with 54 of its lawmakers. Two had not attended the session as they had contracted coronavirus.

PM Imran Khan, FM Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and other notable ministers were also present during yesterday’s session.

According to the state-run APP, 240 lawmakers had participated in the debate on the federal budget.

The motion was passed with majority vote which led to the passage of Finance Bill, 2021 after clause by clause reading as well as voice voting along with amendments.