Opposition rejects Sindh budget

The opposition members in Sindh Assembly criticising the provincial budget called it mere jugglery of numbers with cut and paste of old schemes. The ruling party members, however, lauded the Sindh government for presenting a pro-public budget.

As the session started with Deputy Speaker Rehana Leghari in chair, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MPA Wasim Qureshi said the budget is purely bureaucratic which was finalised without the input of opposition parties and other stakeholders.

"For the last 10 years, we see the identical schemes with no output at the end of every financial year," he said. He said that despite allocating trillions of rupees, the citizens living in Karachi suffer from acute shortage of drinking water. "The situation of Hub Dam is deteriorating and tanker mafia rules in the city by selling while water on exorbitant prices," he said. He further said that many development schemes are in doldrums too.

"The government has decided to setup medical college in Landhi. The building structure is finalised for quite some time, but there are no funds to run it. It will be ruined if proper efforts are not taken to start the college," he remarked. He lamented that the government ministers are insisting that that it is a free tax budget.

Bilal Ahmed Ghaffar of Pakistan Tehreek e Inaf (PTI) started his speech with deputy speaker's attention towards thin attendance of Sindh government ministers in the session and said, "Who will take notices of opposition concerns over the budget"., Ghaffar requested the presence of the ministers in the house.

"The designs of the budget books are different this time; otherwise, there is nothing new in it. No relief has been provided to the masses," he said. He drew the parallel of the provincial government budgets before and after the 18 Amendment and said, "The economic situation of the province was significantly best before the passage of 18 Amendment," he said while sharing his observation. He said that his party is concerned over the utlisation of the development funds. He said that discrimination in the schemes is still unaddressed.

"No one is willing to give answers about our questions PTI asked in 2018. We have the same problems, but government has turned a blind eye to it," he said. He further said that every sector including health department has been handed over to the non-governmental organisations.

However, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Dr Sohrab Sarki lauded the efforts of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for presenting the balance budget. He said that PTI government is responsible for overall economic crises in the Pakistan. "In my constituency, we have broken all the past record when it comes to development schemes and benefits provided to people. I am also thankful to the CM for the provision of girls college schemes in our area that will be completed this year," he said.

He said that the PPP government services in health sector were matchless. "We cannot see the state of art cardio vascular facilities in other provinces. Sindh government is doing all the operation free of cost," he said.

Ghazala Siyal and Marvi Rashdi of PPP while referring the services of Gambat Institute of Medical Science said that people from all over the Pakistan will get benefit from the institute. "The kidney and liver transplantation is being carried without any charges at the Gambat Institute. Why opposition members are silent over it and do not appreciate the efforts," Marvi Rashdi remarked.

During the debate, Adeel Ahmed of PTI, Rashid Khilji and Nasir Qureshi of MQM, Farukh Shah and Ghanwar Isran of PPP also spoke on the budget.

Earlier, as the session started, the Deputy Speaker took strong exception to the scuffle between PPP and PTI MPAs on budget day and ordered an inquiry into the theft of Dua Bhutto's mobile. Latter, it was alleged that Kulsoom Chandio from PPP had snatched her phone.

"We have recovered the phone of Dua Bhutto. The security guards have given it to me, but we are conducting an inquiry into it," she said directing the Secretary Sindh Assembly to ensure that no MPAs use the phone inside the session.

"There is already ban on using phone inside the proceedings, but unfortunately no any lawmakers heeds to it," she said. She said that the Secretary Sindh Assembly and his staff will take away the phone if it is used by any member." The assembly session was adjourned till Monday.

The assembly session was adjourned till Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2022.