Khuzdar: Role parliamentarians should be enhanced during budget making and implementation stages, demands CPDI

Khuzdar: Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives has launched its annual report on State of Budget Transparency in Pakistan. The report discuses shortcomings in the budgeting process at the federal and provincial levels and states that budgets in Pakistan should be prepared in consultation with the stakeholders and information should be shared with citizens proactively during all stages of budget making and budget implementation process. Said Mr. Yousaf Baloch president Human Prosperity Organization during a press conference here at Khuzdar Press Club.

The event was organized by Human Prosperity Organization Balochistan under the banner of Citizens’ Network for Budget Accountability (CNBA). The CNBA is a network of more than 60 civil society organizations working on the budget transparency in 110 districts of Pakistan.

Mr. Yousaf said that This report not only reviewed budget transparency in Pakistan but also tested the effectiveness of access to information laws in Pakistan in obtaining budget related information. He added that the first section of report dealt with requests for information to various federal ministries and provincial departments seeking information about the various stages of the budgeting process.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Yousaf, said that all the questions raised in the report on budget transparency were noteworthy and the government should take immediate steps to address them. The issue of providing information by the government should be taken seriously and budget proposals should be widely discussed within citizen groups, government agencies and other important stakeholders. Citizens’ participation in the budgeting process should be legally protected and government agencies should consult with citizens during the various stages of budgeting.

He also demanded for enhanced role of parliamentarians during budget making and implementation stages. The budget should be presented to the assemblies at least three months before the start of the financial year. A transparent and open policy in consultation with the stakeholders should be formulated based on providing maximum information to the citizens.

Staff Reporter

Published in The Balochistan Point on November 12, 2020