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ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly on Tuesday initiated the process of the approval of federal budget for fiscal 2025-26, allowing 108 demands for grants worth Rs5,162.5 billion for 29 ministries and divisions after rejecting 405 cut motions proposed by the opposition.
During the assembly session, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Finance and Revenue Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the demands under the head of development and non-development ongoing expenditures in the house.
The approval of grants pertained to Climate Change Ministry worth Rs3.852 billion; Commerce Division, Rs26.998.5 billion; Communications Division, Rs114. 378 billion; Defence Production, Rs2.879 billion; Economic Affairs Division Rs20.664 billion; Foreign Affairs Division, Rs62.584 billion; and others.
Later, the opposition presented 405 cut motions in the Cabinet Secretariat, Commerce, Defence and Energy ministries and divisions. The opposition members termed the performance of these ministries unsatisfactory and demanded a reduction in their budget.
The house approved 29 demands for the Cabinet Secretariat worth Rs151.63 billion and rejected 112 cut motions of the opposition; five demands of the Defence Ministry worth over Rs2,600 billion, rejecting 22 cut motions and two demands for Commerce Division of Rs26.99 billion, rejecting 69 cut motions.
The house postponed the approval of cut motions and demands for grant pertaining to the ministries of Interior, Finance, Human Rights, and National Food Security until Wednesday (today). The session will resume on Wednesday (today) morning.
