Bilawal Bhutto responds to FM Qureshi’s challenge, returns to seat after leaving NA session

• Bilawal returns to his seat after FM Qureshi challenges him to “come back to the field”. 
• “Budget has become a source of embarrassment for Pakistan,” says Bilawal Bhutto. 
• PPP chairperson says legislative process to approve budget was “rigged”. 

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ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday responded to a challenge by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during a noisy session of the National Assembly. 

After severely criticising the government over the provisions of budget 2021-22 and condemning the legislative process conducted on Tuesday, the PPP chairperson left the House after his speech. 

“He spoke a lot about [parliamentariy] procedures; I would also like to speak on procedures a bit,” said a passionate FM Qureshi after Bilawal and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had spoken. 

“Where did he go after making his speech? I want him to return,” he added. 

“I would like to ask Bilawal Bhutto to return to his seat; come back to the field and listen to us now,” the foreign minister stated. 

The Opposition benches in the National Assembly broke into huge applause when the PPP chairperson, with another lawmaker by his side, returned to his seat. 

The foreign minister spoke briefly but after immense criticism from the Opposition benches, asked the speaker to let a JUI-F MNA speak instead, and sat down. 

Bilawal censures budget 2021, government’s legislative process

During his speech in the Parliament today, the PPP chairperson lashed out at the government’s legislative process, accusing it of “rigging”. 

“We think that this budget session has become a source of embarrassment for every Pakistani,” he said. “Mr Speaker, I complain to you that you have snatched our rights from us,” added Bhutto. 

Bhutto told NA Speaker Asad Qaiser that the Opposition lawmakers expected him to keep the “sanctity of the chair” and act neutrally. 

He said if “rigging” had not been carried out yesterday when the finance bill was being approved, the government would not have been able to obtain 172 votes. 

Bhutto said the Opposition members had more rights than merely reading out their amendments to the bill. 

“We have the right to be heard also,” he said. “If our right to vote is not protected then what will become of the protection of the right of ordinary Pakistanis?” he asked. 

Bhutto said the Opposition asked for a recount of the votes but the speaker did not oblige him. He said even Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri kept taking time and did not oblige the Opposition. 

However, Bilawal admitted that the Opposition members were also to blame for their poor attendance during the session. 

The PPP chairperson accused the speaker of not protecting the rights of the Opposition members, adding that “the whole nation saw that if you did not rig [the parliamentary process] then you wouldn’t have received 172 votes”. 

Taking a dig at Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Bhutto said that an “unelected member” kept rejecting the Opposition’s amendments. 

“According to Rule 276, if there is a voice vote challenge, you have to count it,” said Bhutto. 

Bhutto told the speaker that he challenged the vote during the last phase of the legislation but “you did not listen to me”. 

“What else is it, if not rigging?” the PPP leader asked before concluding his speech, leaving and then returning when the foreign minister challenged him to come back.