Tempers run high during budget session

Treasury, opposition members resort to 'non-parliamentary language'

KARACHI: An ordinary budget discussion was transformed on Saturday when allegations and counter allegations were hurled during the Sindh Assembly session. The situation became even stranger when members of the treasury benches and opposition members used 'non-parliamentary language' against each other.

The House erupted in pandemonium when opposition members discussing the Sindh budget used phrases such as 'corruption ki ajab kahani [corruption's strange story] and 'kiya kiya, kiya kiya, khaaya piya hazam kiya [what have you done; eaten up everything and swallowed up everything]'. Responding to the taunts of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan lawmakers, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) members chanted, "Quaid ka khaya quaid ko chora," referring to MQM-Pakistan renouncing party founder Altaf Hussain.

This irked the MQM-Pakistan members, who protested, telling Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza that no one can run the session if such words are being uttered against a party. The situation became even more tense when Fayaz Butt, minister for the public health engineering department, responded to opposition members, especially those from the MQM-Pakistan, who criticised the Sindh government calling it a 'corrupt government'. During his speech, MQM members taunted him and chanted 'khaaya piya hazam kiya'.



This irked Butt, who angrily said, "You have betrayed your leader". These words ignited the assembly proceedings, resulting in members of both the parties chanting slogans against each other and passing even more derogatory remarks.

It became difficult for the deputy speaker to handle the session, as members refused to remain silent. Zafar Kamali of MQM-Pakistan pointed his finger at the deputy speaker and said, "You cannot run the session if such words are uttered against us".

Raza responded that he could not threaten her and that the session will continue, come what may. MQM-Pakistan's parliamentary leader Syed Sardar Ahmed left the house amidst the protest. After a few minutes of chaos members of both the parties sat down when deputy speaker gave the floor to a Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz MPA for a speech.

Grant for Ayaz Soomro

Earlier, MQM-Pakistan MPA Sumeta Afza Syed drew the attention of the House toward grants for elected representatives, government and non-governmental organizations. "I fail to understand why Rs8.5 million has been given to PPP MNA Ayaz Soomro as a grant," she said, adding that a meagre amount has been fixed for the Jacobabad and Shikarpur victims.



Regarding the 'nutrition support programme', she said that 0% funds have been released, despite a budgetary allocation for the programme. "The sports minister is only challenging people to do push ups but his department has not finished most of the schemes in the current fiscal year," said Syed.

Corruption abounds

Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi said children were losing their lives in Tharparkar because of hunger and government MPAs are discussing the budget in this session. "What have you done in the rural areas of Sindh, where people are suffering due to an acute shortage of drinking water facilities," she questioned. Abbasi said out of the Rs225 billion allocated for the development portfolio in outgoing year (2016-17) the government has not used around Rs165 billion.

"How can you utilise this huge amount in a month?" she asked, adding that many projects and schemes have been launched in the name of Benazir Bhutto but all are in shambles. "I urge government authorities to please respect Benazir Bhutto's name, after which you have named these schemes," she said, repeating the phrase 'ajab corruption ke ghazab kahani'. Abbasi said that Sindh has been defamed because of the corruption, nepotism and bad governance of the PPP.



"You have created 49,000 jobs in the budget, but most of them will be sold at fixed prices. No poor man can get a job on merit, which has been the situation for the past nine years," she criticised. She added that the government's development intents can be gauged from the Rs94 billion allocated for luxury vehicles, offices and furniture for ministers. "More than Rs9 million has been allocated for bullet and bomb proof cars. Why are you afraid of death?" she asked.

Up in arms

PPP MPA Kulsoom Chandio criticised opposition MPAs and said the government has broken all records. She referred to roads, flyovers and overhead bridges constructed in Karachi and other districts of Sindh.

Lala Chand Ukrani, also of the PPP, said that there were serious threats to minorities living in Sindh, as some elements are forcing them to leave the country but Hindus love this land and cannot move elsewhere. "It is the PPP who are the true representatives of minorities," he claimed.

Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPA Dr Rafique Banghan drew the attention of the House towards a girls school in his constituency. "I am an MPA and this school has been lying non-functional for many years. I have requested the secretary and minister of the education department to look into this but nothing has been done," he said, adding that the budget has been passed to misuse the funds, not develop to Sindh.



"Every member of this House has the right to use community development funds, which are only released to treasury members," he lamented, adding that the PPP government is victimising its opponents.

Later, the deputy speaker adjourned the session till Monday.