June 16, 2006	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 15: The opposition in Senate on Thursday strongly criticised the government for covering up massive overspending under various heads and failing to submit in the upper house the supplementary grants booklet promised for June 15.

Speaking on a point of order, Ishaq Dar of PML (Nawaz) said apart from spending a huge amount around Rs1 billion, allocated in the current budget, the foreign office had spent Rs100 million more on foreign tours and sought a supplementary expenditure of Rs150 million for the prime minister’s tours.

Ishaq Dar had a verbal clash with Minister of State for Finance Omar Ayub during the budget debate for not furnishing the supplementary grants booklet along with budget estimates books and the minister had assured on the floor of the house to provide the book on June 15.

He said the HBL was handed over to a private party despite strong opposition by the upper house at a throwaway price of Rs22 billion against an advance payment of Rs11 billion and Rs9.80 billion was given as tax refund to the bank.

He said that according to the 185-paged supplementary grants book, Rs366 million had been overspent on purchasing 10 Mercedes for ministers, Rs16.40 million sought for two vehicles for the prime minister’s house and Rs577.70 million had been spent on spare parts of a VVIP plane.

He said that Rs1.40 million had been demanded for new vehicles for defence production division, Rs40 million were spent on the so-called national volunteers’ movement, Rs1.90 billion had been spend on provision of subsidy on tariff cess in the civil works department, and Rs63 million had been reflected as NAB’s share in the recoveries through supplementary grants.