Feeling discriminated: Sindh lawmakers unite against Centre’s ‘venomous’ attitude
Most MPAs shy away from criticising budget allocations, keep reactions political
Most MPAs shy away from criticising budget allocations, keep reactions political. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Sindh lawmakers united on Friday against, what they called is, the 'venomous' attitude and discriminatory act of the federal water and power authorities.
The unanimous resolution was moved by senior education and parliamentary affairs minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and was supported by all parliamentary parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Moving the resolution, Khuhro demanded the prime minister take notice of unannounced load-shedding in various districts of Sindh that has made the lives of people miserable. "Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had promised during the general election campaign to overcome energy crises within six months but the situation is aggravating with each pass day," claimed PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio.
Punch-up session: Lawmakers come to blows over ‘heated words’
"He had asked to change his name if he failed to resolve the power crises in Pakistan within a few months," he pointed out. "I think he should change his name now as the power crisis has increased manifold in the country."
Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan, who belongs to the MQM, and PML-F's Rashid Shah also criticised the power authorities. "There is 18 to 20 hours of load-shedding and, on top of that, the authorities issue wrong bills and make false claims," said the joint resolution. The electricity utility promised there will be no load-shedding at Sehr and Iftar time but all in vain, it added.
The people of Sindh are forced to meet their domestic, business and agriculture power needs by using gas generators whereas the Sui Southern Gas Company cuts off the gas pressure announcing the ban on such use, it said. "Such attitude proves that the province is facing the discrimination, which is nothing but detrimental to the national interest and integrity."
'Political' budget speeches
The debate on the budget was more political as lawmakers criticised each other for political gimmicks rather than pinpointing the good and bad allocations in the annual budget. During the four-day debate, the issue of Zulfikarabad city - a modern city that the Sindh government has announced to build in Thatta district - and the creation of a new province from Sindh dominated the proceedings. As MQM members spoke about carving out a new province, PPP ministers disagreed. "We will not let anyone disintegrate Sindh."
Angry lawmakers: MPAs threaten protest at PM House over load-shedding
Hardly a few members have talked on the budget and its development programmes as well as the utilisation of funds in the current year. Most of the MPAs merely repeated the speech. Meanwhile, PTI's Khurrum Sher Zaman focused on the deteriorating education standards in Sindh. "A huge budge has been allocated this year and the PPP government spent billions of rupees in the last seven years in this sector, but education indictors show that FATA, Gilgit and Kashmir are far better than Sindh," he pointed out.
MQM's Rauf Siddiqui asked the government to impose an 'Education Emergency' in Sindh for at least five years.
PML-F's Rashid Shah suggested giving attention to rural and basic health centres that are lying idle. People are left at the mercy of quack doctors, he said.
PPP MPA Sardar Shah appreciated the government's effort in maintaining law and order in Sindh. He asked all MPAs, civil society members to work with the education department to improve the quality of education. "Only the education minister cannot bring a revolution in this sector," he said. "We should all support him by monitoring education in our own constituencies."
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2016.
Sindh lawmakers united on Friday against, what they called is, the 'venomous' attitude and discriminatory act of the federal water and power authorities.
The unanimous resolution was moved by senior education and parliamentary affairs minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and was supported by all parliamentary parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Moving the resolution, Khuhro demanded the prime minister take notice of unannounced load-shedding in various districts of Sindh that has made the lives of people miserable. "Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had promised during the general election campaign to overcome energy crises within six months but the situation is aggravating with each pass day," claimed PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio.
Punch-up session: Lawmakers come to blows over ‘heated words’
"He had asked to change his name if he failed to resolve the power crises in Pakistan within a few months," he pointed out. "I think he should change his name now as the power crisis has increased manifold in the country."
Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan, who belongs to the MQM, and PML-F's Rashid Shah also criticised the power authorities. "There is 18 to 20 hours of load-shedding and, on top of that, the authorities issue wrong bills and make false claims," said the joint resolution. The electricity utility promised there will be no load-shedding at Sehr and Iftar time but all in vain, it added.
The people of Sindh are forced to meet their domestic, business and agriculture power needs by using gas generators whereas the Sui Southern Gas Company cuts off the gas pressure announcing the ban on such use, it said. "Such attitude proves that the province is facing the discrimination, which is nothing but detrimental to the national interest and integrity."
'Political' budget speeches
The debate on the budget was more political as lawmakers criticised each other for political gimmicks rather than pinpointing the good and bad allocations in the annual budget. During the four-day debate, the issue of Zulfikarabad city - a modern city that the Sindh government has announced to build in Thatta district - and the creation of a new province from Sindh dominated the proceedings. As MQM members spoke about carving out a new province, PPP ministers disagreed. "We will not let anyone disintegrate Sindh."
Angry lawmakers: MPAs threaten protest at PM House over load-shedding
Hardly a few members have talked on the budget and its development programmes as well as the utilisation of funds in the current year. Most of the MPAs merely repeated the speech. Meanwhile, PTI's Khurrum Sher Zaman focused on the deteriorating education standards in Sindh. "A huge budge has been allocated this year and the PPP government spent billions of rupees in the last seven years in this sector, but education indictors show that FATA, Gilgit and Kashmir are far better than Sindh," he pointed out.
MQM's Rauf Siddiqui asked the government to impose an 'Education Emergency' in Sindh for at least five years.
PML-F's Rashid Shah suggested giving attention to rural and basic health centres that are lying idle. People are left at the mercy of quack doctors, he said.
PPP MPA Sardar Shah appreciated the government's effort in maintaining law and order in Sindh. He asked all MPAs, civil society members to work with the education department to improve the quality of education. "Only the education minister cannot bring a revolution in this sector," he said. "We should all support him by monitoring education in our own constituencies."
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2016.