Legislators from both opposition and treasury benches on Wednesday called for the establishment of Special Agriculture Zones, IT Facilitation Centers nationwide, increased farmer support, and funding for churches and temples to promote economic growth and social inclusion.
Resuming general budget debate on the fifth day in the National Assembly, Dr Zulfikar Ali Bhatti of PML-N stressed the need to develop rural areas and strengthen the agricultural sector. He proposed the establishment of Special Agriculture Zones nationwide, equipped with all necessary facilities to enhance agricultural productivity.
He also advocated for providing incentives to farmers. Additionally, he called for the creation of IT facilitation centers in rural regions and the implementation of skills development programs for youth, particularly in underprivileged areas, to promote self-sufficiency.
Awais Haider Jhakar of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) highlighted the challenges faced by farmers and criticized government policies that have contributed to a decline in agricultural output.
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) urged Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah to issue a ruling calling for strict punishment of those involved in the attempted abduction of Maulana Fazl ur Rehman’s son and demanded their immediate arrest.
Zulfiqar Ali Behan of the Pakistan People’s Party called for the imposition of an agricultural emergency in the country and the removal of taxes on fertilizers to boost farm production. He also called for the establishment of a university in Naushahro Feroze.
Chaudhry Mubeen Arif Jatt of SIC demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposed 18 percent General Sales Tax (GST) on solar panels. He also highlighted the hardships faced by farmers, noting that their produce is being sold at prices lower than their production costs.
Chaudhry Riaz Ul Haq of PML-N demanded a review of the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) excessive powers and emphasized the need to lower fertilizer prices.
Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani of the PPP said that the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) is providing excellent services in liver transplantation. He also stated that the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway is a vital need of the people and urged authorities to pay attention to the project.
MNA Sohail Sultan said that it is the government’s duty to provide relief to the people.
Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah of SIC underscored the importance of offering targeted incentives to empower the nation’s youth.
Discussing agriculture, MNA Nasir Iqbal emphasized the importance of the sector and urged the government to either raise crop prices or reduce production costs.
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