The National Assembly on Thursday approved supplementary grants totaling Rs712.41 billion for the fiscal years 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, despite fierce opposition protests and disruptive sloganeering that led to a charged atmosphere in the chamber.

The session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, descended into chaos as soon as the finance minister rose to seek approval for the grants.

Lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf surrounded the speaker’s dais and tore up copies of the agenda in protest.

The opposition chanted loud slogans throughout the proceedings, prompting Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar to respond with forceful counter-slogans.

Undeterred by the turmoil, the house approved allocations for developmental, non-developmental, and mandatory expenditures covering the previous two fiscal years.

After the grants were passed, the speaker adjourned the assembly session indefinitely.