Opposition lawmakers in Sindh Assembly on Friday demanded of the Sindh government to live up to promises made in current year budget rather than painting a rosy picture for the upcoming fiscal year.
During the debate on Rs1.72 trillion budget for the year 2022-23 going on for last one week, the lawmakers belonging to opposition parties decried broken promises and government failures to initiate the development schemes in outgoing year.
"There will be no significant change if you allocate, but do not utlise the funds till the end of the financial year," said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Dr Imran Ali Shah.
Referring to Sindh government's last year's funds for the collecting solid waste from the street of Karachi he said, "In last year budget speech, Sindh government allocated Rs8 billion for Sindh Solid Waste Management Board. I wonder where this amount has been spent as the garbage remains piled up in every nook and cranny of the province."
He said adding that there is no any area where government was supplying the potable tap water in Karachi.
Dr Imran alleged that political appointments in government health sector have earned bag image of public sector. "After every few month we see a new medical superintendent at Lyari General Hospital. The first job of the MS is to renovate his own toilet. Is it essential to change the tiles of MS washroom twice in a year," he said adding that Sindh government has broken all the record of corruption and nepotism by utilizing the funds on medicines in single day. "How can a hospital administration can buy Rs60 million worth of medicine in a day. This has happened in Saudabad government hospital," he said adding that there has been provision for infectious disease hospital in budget since 2009, but hospital is yet to be finalised.
"Please stop playing with the public funds and be pragamtic," he said.
Not only opposition members, but Sindh Minister for Women Development Shehla Raza also expressed dismay over not releasing the funds for the establishment of welfare centres for women in Karachi and said, "This year, we cannot build the centers for women in five districts of Karachi owing to shortage of funds. I am recording my protest on the floor of assembly knowingly that no tangible result will come out of it."
She however informed the house that government has launched complaint cell in 15 districts of Sindh to listen the complaints of children and women.
Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MPA Nand Kumar Goklani in his speech reminded the Sindh government to its promises about the implementation of law relating to minority issues.
"PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto had promised to pass the law against forced conversion, but all in vain," he said adding that despite the repeated assurance from the Sindh government no efforts were made to set up the minority rights commission too.
"Discrimination is being meted out to Hindus living in Sindh," he said adding that he was the first MPA who moved the bill against the forced conversions which was passed unanimously but then the government withdrew it in the wake of religious groups pressure.
"I have submitted a revised bill addressing the concerns by religious groups, but it is biting dust in assembly secretariat," he remarked.
Nadeem Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) drew the house attention towards government inefficiency to setup the industrial zones in the various districts of Sindh.
"We have been hearing in budget speeches for the last 10 years that the Sindh government will set up industrial and economic zones in Dhabheji and other areas," however, Siddiqui said, "we don't know why this project cannot see the light of the day."
The MQM-P lawmaker said most of the taulka hospitals are deprived of the X-ray and ultra sound facalities in Sindh and government every year increases budget in this respect. "We welcome your step to spare funds for next year budget, but want to know what happens to existing amount. Where does this funds go," he questioned.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2022.
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