The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) legislators complained that Karachi, which generates over 70 per cent of the country’s revenue, has been neglected in the budget.
During the Sindh Assembly session on Wednesday, the MQM lawmakers felt that the government had allocated only Rs2 billion that are not enough to carry out development projects in the city.
MQM MPA Zareen Majeed said that non-development expenditure and unnecessary expenses are a burden on the national exchequer. It should be reduced to 70 per cent, she suggested. Majeed also supported the MQM’s stance on imposing agriculture tax and said that industrial zones should be established in every district. MQM’s Shahnaz Begum pointed out that schemes for katchi abadis were also ignored.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Humera Alwani said that 60.3 per cent oil and 70 per cent gas of the total country were produced in Sindh but it received only a meagre royalty on it. “We should be given 50 per cent share from our natural resources but we are getting only 12.5 per cent,” she said.
PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio mentioned that there were many errors in the budget but he cannot talk about it because of party policy. “I will just say that some elements in the bureaucracy are not willing to see development in Sindh. I will just suggest someone take action against them,” he said.
Reaction against Rana Sanaullah
There was an outcry in the assembly as legislators criticised Punjab Law Miniser Rana Sanaullah’s remarks against PPP Senator Babar Awan. Sanaullah had called Awan “Wajbul Qatal” [liable to be killed].
The issue was raised by Senior Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq while the lawmakers were engrossed in discussing the budget. Haq said that, “he [Sanaullah] has given a clear message to extremists and the federal government should take notice”. Soon after, members of the ruling party started shouting “shame shame”.
Speaker Nisar Khuhro prevented any further discussions. “You could have moved a resolution before the session started,” he said.
Target killings
Target killings also came under discussing on the second consecutive day. MQM’s Abdul Moeed said no area was spared from the firing and criminals belonging to a specific party equipped with automatic weapons have made lives miserable.
He requested the chief minister to take notice of the riots that took place in the Federal Urdu University and Liaquat National Hospital. “The administration, doctors and patients were held hostage and some men continued firing in Saddar till Wednesday morning,” he said.
MQM deputy parliamentary leader Faisal Subzwari assured that leaders of the MQM and the Awami National Party met at Governor House on Tuesday and both parties are committed to foil conspiracies to create unrest in the city. The parties will sit together again, he added.
Journalists boycott session
In line with the strike call issued by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, reporters covering the assembly proceedings boycotted the session and staged a sit-in in front of the assembly building to protest the killing of Saleem Shahzad and other colleagues across the country.
Members of the MQM, PPP, Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid and Pakistan Muslim League - Functional also joined them. Later, the journalists marched towards the press club.
Deputation
Criticising the government’s decision to appoint officers on deputation, Alwani said that, some officials are working in the excise and taxation department despite court orders.
Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla replied that they had relieved many officials to their parent departments but only two officials - Syed Aftab Shah Hussain Rashdi, who is an official of the National Bank of Pakistan, and Zaheer Abid, an employee of the Sindh Coal Authority - were working. “We cannot take action against these officials because it is the responsibility of the services general administration and coordination department,” he said.
Some members still argued that these officials must be removed but Chawla said that one of them belongs to an influential family of Kingri in Khaipur. This seemed to calm down the legislators who did not ask further questions.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.
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