Islamabad:
The National Assembly’s Sub -Committee of the Finance Committee noted on Wednesday that the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) proposal 2025 was not yet formally shared with them in writing, and observed that the proposed structural changes seemed to be aimed at transforming the panel into a government unit.
The meeting of the subcommittee was led by MNA Nafisa Shah. The body reviewed the bill after a long hiatus.
With regard to concern about the absence of Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, the members noted that the bill had not yet been formally shared with them in writing. The financial secretary later joined the session and informed the committee on the proposed changes from the Finance Department.
According to the briefing, the division suggested to reduce the size of the management committee, define its reference and outline the provisions of PBO’s financing and expenses. “We have tried to make sure no parallel structure is created,” the secretary said.
Committee chairman Nafisa Shah observed that the proposed structural changes seemed to convert the office to a government unit. “Parliament is a separate body from the government and it should remain,” she emphasized.
The Financial Secretary claimed that the purpose of limiting the size of the management committee was to avoid a situation where too many people are introduced.
