Bill seeking approval for election funds rejected by NA, Senate committes

• Bill was referred to standing committees for deliberation.
  
• Finance ministry refuses to provide funds citing strict IMF conditions.
• "Provision of funds outside of budget, a violation of IMF conditions," Aisha Ghaus.

After the Ministry of Finance — citing scarce funds and strict International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions — excused itself from providing funds for general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the National Assembly and Senate's standing committees on finance on Thursday rejected the money bill seeking assistance in the matter.  

During the meeting, NA's standing committee chairman Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh — who also presided over it — suggested that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar come and answer questions regarding the current state of the country's economy.

At this, Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha said that they have informed the body about the situation. She further said that Pakistan has been bound by the IMF to keep the fiscal deficit on target.

"We are facing a shortage of funds and a huge deficit and do not have additional funds available apart from the allocated budget," she said.

She added that the provision of funds outside of the budget would be a violation of IMF conditions.

Meanwhile, during the Senate's standing committee session, the state minister said that Pakistan had a limited amount of funds as the country was struggling to avert a possible default.

Election funds bill  

On Monday, the government tabled the bill regarding election expenditures in both houses of the parliament as it informed the legislature about the repercussions of holding the election in Punjab earlier.

Dar tabled the bill pertaining to funds for general elections in Punjab and KP hours before the deadline given by the Supreme Court for the disbursal of Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ended.

The bill titled "Charged Sums for General Elections of Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bill 2023" was presented in both houses of the parliament minutes after the federal cabinet approved a summary prepared by the Ministry of Finance regarding the expenditure on elections.

The Supreme Court, in its April 4 verdict, had directed the federal government to release and provide ECP with funds worth Rs21 billion in any case by April 10 for polls.

While presenting the bill in the National Assembly, the finance minister said that it is now the responsibility of the parliament to decide whether funds to ECP should be released or not.

Expressing his views in the lower house, Dar said the snap polls ordered by the apex court were not in the national interest due to the country's security and economic situation.

“Elections in all assemblies should be held on the same date,” the finance minister said, adding that the government laid this bill before the parliament in light of the Supreme Court's orders to release Rs21 billion to the ECP.

The finance czar recalled that the lower house had also passed a resolution that the apex court's order into the suo motu notice regarding holding elections in Punjab is a decision of 4-3 and the judgment of 3-0 is a minority verdict and that “should not be implemented”.

He further added that the federal cabinet, in its recent meeting, pondered over the apex court’s orders and in view of the NA’s resolution, has sought the will of the parliament to take a final decision regarding the allocation of funds for general elections for the provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP.