June 15, 2003	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 14, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 14: The National Assembly on Saturday passed the federal budget for 2003-04 in what was viewed as the shortest budget debate in the assembly’s history and absence of the combined opposition parties.

Parliamentarians from both sides shouted at each other with anti- and pro-government slogans and brief desk-thumping episode before the opposition members boycotted the budget session for the fifth consecutive day leaving behind only the ruling coalition partners.

The finance bill was unanimously adopted at the end of the eight-day assembly session.

The session was presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain.

The budget and supplementary demands for grants and appropriations for the outgoing fiscal 2002-03 were quickly approved by the assembly.

Besides passing the budget without a single “no” vote, the coalition led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, had a field day passing a resolution reposing confidence in President Pervez Musharraf while the speaker delivered a ruling upholding the Legal Framework Order.

The treasury benches used the second sitting to shower praise on Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz’s budget that has imposed no new taxes — but broadened the tax base — and some even ‘thanked’ the opposition for making it possible for them to make a quick march in budget-passing.

Because of the opposition’s absence, the budget’s passage took only five days — including four days of the general debate that ended on Friday — compared to up to three weeks usually taken in the past.

“It is a wonder that the budget was passed so quickly,” Sher Afgan Niazi of the People’s Party Patriots said.

He said he had initially feared it would be difficult to pass the budget by June 30 because of possible filibustering by the large opposition.

Housing and Works Minister Syed Safwanullah of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement also spoke on the occasion.