Islamabad:
On Wednesday, the subcommittee of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly noted that the 2025 bill of the parliamentary budget office (PBO) had not yet been officially shared with them in writing and observed that the proposed structural changes seemed to transform the panel into a government entity.
The subcommittee of the subcommittee was chaired by MNA Nafisa Shah. The body examined the bill after a long break.
Expressing their concern about the absence of a financial secretary Imdadullah Bosal at the start, the members noted that the bill had not yet been officially shared with them in writing. The finance secretary then joined the session and informed the modifications committee proposed by the finance division.
According to the briefing, the division suggested reducing the size of the steering committee, defining its reference conditions and describing the provisions for the financing and expenditure of the PBO. “We tried to make sure that no parallel structure is created,” said the secretary.
The president of the Nafisa Shah committee observed that the proposed structural changes seemed to convert the office into a government entity. “Parliament is an organization distinct from the government, and it should remain so,” she said.
The finance secretary argued that the aim of limiting the size of the steering committee was to avoid a situation where too many people are inducted.
