MQM-P leader lambasts PPP for neglecting Karachi

Says the ruling party is biased which has resulted in the destruction of the city's infrastructure

KARACHI: Karachi generates 70% of the revenue collected by the Centre and 95% of Sindh's revenue, yet it gets only 10% share in the budget, said Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. He was addressing a press conference held at MQM-P's temporary head office in Bahadurabad on Friday.

He said that development in Karachi was witnessed only during the MQM's tenure, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has been biased against Karachi which has resulted in the destruction of the city's infrastructure.

Both rural and urban areas of Sindh are in ruins due to the PPP's criminal negligence and corruption, he claimed. All water projects initiated by the PPP government, including K-IV, are marred by corruption, he added.

He also said that while Pakistan has been surviving terrorism for the past two decades, rural areas of Sindh have been subject to financial terrorism over the last 10 years.

According to Dr Siddiqui, people residing in Sindh's urban areas and MQM-P have rejected the annual budget 2019-20, denouncing the PPP-led provincial government for presenting a financial plan that offers no relief to the people. The budget has been designed to rob the public of its hard earned money instead of providing them relief, he said.

MQM-P Deputy Convener Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar and members of MQM-P Rabita committee Izharul Hassan, Muhammad Hussain, Mehfooz Yar Khan as well as Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Hassan were present during the press conference.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2019.