KARACHI:
Members of the Sindh Assembly are upset with the Centre.
They feel that Karachi, the city of lights, is always treated as a step-child when compared to Lahore. They claim that Lahore gets the right allocations, the right development funds and schemes while Karachi is left with hand-me-downs.
"Every prime minister, every president the country has had gives special packages to Lahore and neglects Karachi," said Muttahida Qaumi Movement's deputy parliamentary leader Khwaja Izharul Hassan while discussing the budget at the Sindh Assembly on Friday. "This is unfair. Karachi is the economical hub of the country."
According to Hassan, not only had the federal government 'blessed' Lahore with funds, but the government of Punjab had earmarked 40% of its provincial development budget for the city. Karachi, he said, is nowhere on the government's priority list.
"The people of Karachi are facing a water shortage. The Sindh government has allocated Rs1 billion for K-V project, a drinking water project which will take years to complete," he said, adding that Rs42 billion were allocated for Karachi out of which more than Rs20 billion will be spent on renovating and reconstructing government buildings.
In case of a fire in the city, Hassain claimed that the residents would be helpless as more than 50% of fire stations in the city were not functional. He added that most departments which have supposed to deal with disasters were not properly equipped or did not have enough resources.
Hussain then directed the House's attention to the local government elections and said that no money had been allocated for it. He added that the government had promised to hold LG elections this year but since they had not kept any funds for it the government was clearly not serious about it.
Cops with hepatitis
Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) MPA Nand Kumar brought up the issue of policemen with hepatitis. "Why are sick people suffering from a deadly disease working in the police department?" he asked. "Can these patients perform well or control criminal or militant activities in the province?" He added that he had medical reports of many policemen which confirmed that they were hepatitis patients.
Graveyards for Hindus
Discussing the budget for minorities, Kumar said that the Sindh government had allocated funds for renovating the temples, but what about graveyards for the Hindu scheduled caste. He added that the Hindus did not have a separate graveyard and this created a problem. The government, he said, should think about this.
The MPA added that forced conversions and kidnapping for ransom cases had made their lives miserable and the government had failed to do anything to help.
A messy session
Friday's assembly session had many messy moments as MPAs from the treasury and opposition benches kept getting at each others' throats by passing rude comments about their leaders.
The deputy speaker of the House, Shehla Raza, said something about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan which led MPAs of his party to create a lot of hue and cry.
The speaker of the assembly had to step in and ask both parties to calm down.
Then, the fisheries minister, Jam Khan Shoro accused the Shirazis of Thatta of occupying acres of forest land. The Shirazis, who are now affiliated with the PML-N objected to these allegations made against them. The speaker, again, asked the men on both sides to take a deep breath and sit down. He adjourned the session and said they would continue with assembly matters on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2014.
COMMENTS (7)
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It is fault of government even it is provisional or Federal government and also fault of our political parties even it is MQM, PML-N PPP, which has selected sick MPAs AND MNAs, allocated fund for development project is not issue but issue is to run those project without any corruption, which is not looking possible to us without changing in ourself. We need to be an educator to give vote against those MPA or MNA which is not working in their area, Our vote is not for any political party but it is for that people who can work for their area, In this concept we will get change automatically within 20 years The MPA and MNA will working in fear of he will not get any vote if he will not work for people and he will lost his/her seat, OUR VOTE SHOULD BE AGAINST OF THAT WHICH IS NOT WORKING OR CORRUPT
karachi should be made a separate province
It's Mqm's fault. A dharna for the allocation of funds is required. They have lost their way coz of inner fighting. Their are a 1000 ways to get things done and going past PPP shouldn't be a problem. PPP has never built anything in interior Sindh for their own people why would they budge for Karachi.
This is ridiculous, he should blame Sindh Government for not allocating funds to Karachi. They have Rs. 600 billion!!
because those who are MPA from karachi are in sindh govt and yet still they sell the blood of karachi .. Change CM Sindh
Pervaiz Musharaf is the only President of Pakistan alongwith MQM who had a lot of development work carried out during the Musharaf reign. Both PPP and PML-N dont and never ever owed Karachi, hence there will never ever be any development work carried out in Karachi by these two parties, hence we have to pray and get a good Leader and President or Prime Minister like Musharaf alongwith the MQM who only can carry out developments in Karachi.
Oh dear ministry of Karachi, the funds aren't the problem. The problem is with the ministry who cannot make proper projects in Karachi to utilize the money. Don't blame others, and try to work hard on the projects.