- Sobia Shahid, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), made headlines by tearing apart the budget document in KP Assembly. Her bold move sparked a heated debate, as she questioned the legitimacy of the budget and the government’s actions.
Shahid’s protest began when she declared, “This is not our budget, so why should we discuss it?” She went on to question the government’s stance, stating, “If the caretaker government is unconstitutional, then why are they now approving it?” Despite her party’s support for the government, Shahid made it clear that they would not endorse the budget, stating, “Even if it is not approved, we stand with them.”
Addressing the White Paper, Shahid pointed out that the signatures on the document belonged to bureaucrats rather than assembly members. She then proceeded to tear apart the budget document, which she claimed was only two months old.
Shahid also highlighted the lack of progress on various committees formed by the government. She mentioned that a committee was established for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, but no meetings were called. Similarly, committees for the Billion Tree Tsunami and Ten Billion Tree Tsunami projects were formed, but no reports were generated. Shahid challenged the government to provide updates on the progress of these committees.
Shahid asserted that the government should first account for its nine-year performance before discussing the budget. She also demanded that the status of Khyber Medical University (KMU) be changed to a university, granting it the recognition it deserves.