Businessmen concerned over budget spending

KARACHI: Transparent and rightful spending of the Sindh budget 2010-11 is the only concern of the businessmen in Karachi as that would lead to a prosperous province. Consequently, the people of Sindh would also benefit including the traders and industrialists, they said.

The Express Tribune spoke to several businessmen regarding the budget. While most were not aware of the details, they did say that they were concerned about the allotted amount for education, which they said should be the top priority of the provincial government.

“Good education for our youth would mean a better future as it would lead to a more skilled workforce, better employment opportunities, better living standards, low poverty, among others,” a businessman said.

The Sindh budget 2010-11 has increased the education budget from Rs5.9 billion in 2009-10 to Rs7 billion in 2010-11.

Atiq Mir, the chairman of the Alliance of Market Association, said that Karachi being the commercial hub of the entire country should have the highest share. He claimed that last year not even 40 per cent of the announced budget had actually been spent on the people.

He said that the federal budget had washed its hands of Sindh by saying that it had allocated a significant amount through the NFC award and health and education sectors were ignored.

Mir appreciated the provincial government for its plans to help the poor through different projects, but stressed that his main concern was a transparent allocation of funds.

Siddiq Memon, the Chairman of Traders Action Committee, said that while the government had claimed to have spent Rs5.2 billion on provision of gas and electricity, it did not seem true as the businessmen continued to suffer due to electricity shortages.

He said that the government should do more to improve infrastructure of the province and Karachi in particular.

President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sultan Ahmed Chawla, Vice President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Javed Ahmed Vohra and ex-chairman of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry M A Jabbar all were of the opinion that a proper and honest allocation of the budget would benefit the businessmen as Karachi is the economic heart of both Sindh and Pakistan.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2010.