Another day, another protest in the Sindh Assembly

Sindh govt accused of using opposition members' development funds in PPP constituencies

KARACHI: In an unsurprising development, pandemonium erupted in the Sindh Assembly on Monday when opposition members staged a sit-in in front of the speaker's podium, chanting slogans of 'Go Zardari Go, No Corruption No'.

The joint opposition was protesting the government's alleged discriminatory approach towards opposition members' development funds being utilised in Pakistan People's Party (PPP) constituencies. The uproar in the house compelled Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza to adjourn the session till today (Tuesday).

At the outset of the session Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Mohammad Hussain moved a call attention notice. "Will the finance minister please explain why funds of Rs40 million under the community development programme have not been released yet?" he queried. He said each MPA was supposed to get Rs40 million to initiate development schemes in their constituency but these funds are only being released to treasury members.



"Not a single penny has been given to opposition leaders in the last four years," he claimed. After Hussain's remarks, MQM, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) members stood up at their seats and began to chant slogans.

Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro justified the government's actions by saying that while Rs8 billion has been allocated for the community development programme, it is not mandatory to release funds to all MPAs.

Khuhro's remarks added fuel to the fire and spurred the already irate MPAs to stage a sit-in in front of the podium, armed with copies of their development schemes that had been approved by the district administration and finance department. "These are public funds, which are to be utilised in Sindh. Why won't you give us our due right?" demanded MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed. He said many MPAs of his party had submitted their schemes to deputy commissioners but had been denied.



PML-F parliamentary leader Nand Kumar Goklani waved his copy of his schemes and the funds used in his name in PPP's constituency in Mirpurkhas.  "I want to draw your attention towards a big fraud we have unearthed. These papers show that I have spent Rs40 million in Mirpurkhas district. I belong to Sanghar and have nothing to do with these schemes launched in my name in PPP's constituency," he said, adding that while he has lodged complaints with the chief minister and chief secretary, nothing has been done.

PTI MPAs Khurrum Sher Zaman, Seema Zia and Samar Ali, PML-N's Sorath Thebo and almost all the opposition members gathered in front of the speaker's chair.

Raza attempted to calm the opposition members and requested them to go back to their seats but her requests went unheeded. Responding to the protesting members, Khuhro said, "It seems the MQM and PML-F are trying to save Nawaz Sharif by staging this drama". The minister added that mere slogans will not be able to stop the movement against the prime minister. "This is pre-planned protest," he accused.



Due to the chaos in the House, the deputy speaker adjourned the session till today (Tuesday). This was the second protest and walkout in the past two days. Earlier, MQM's Hussain had raised the issue of his party workers' death in central jail. The deputy speaker had tried to pacify the MPA by saying she would give him time to speak during the question and answer session, but Hussain was undeterred and continued to speak. Raza had his microphone turned off, which irked the MQM members, who stages a token walkout in protest.