Lawmakers meet: Cardio hospital’s financial crisis worries Sindh MPAs

Sindh govt reluctant to take action against smuggled oil from Iran.

KARACHI:

The financial crisis faced by the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in the aftermath of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution has worried Sindh’s lawmakers.

During the Sindh Assembly session on Monday, the lawmakers urged both the federal and provincial governments pay some attention to the important facility. "The hospital has now been devolved to the Sindh government, which has been unable to give the institute its budgetary allocation," claimed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Dr Seema Zia. "The condition of the institution can be measured from the fact that it has no funds to pay its 1,000 employees."

NICVD was allocated a budget of Rs900 million but was only given Rs400 million, she pointed out, adding that the  salaries alone come up to Rs 470 million. "Instead of improving the health facilities, our institutions are being ruined," she said.

The parliamentary secretary for health, Dr Sikandar Shoro, tried to defend the provincial government. The government wanted to bring about the change but some 'lobbies' in the NICVD, Jinnah hospital and the National Institute of Child Health went to court against the provincial government for interfering in their affairs. They wanted all these institutions placed under the control of the federal government, he claimed.

"These people have vested interests," said Shoro. "In this situation, we can neither transfer nor post any official. All affairs are running through the stay order." He explained that the remaining money in the allocated amount is generated by the institute itself. "We have now proposed an enhancement in its budget to Rs1 billion in the upcoming financial year."

Iranian oil 'smugglers'

Monday's session began with speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in chair. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Kamran Akhtar pointed out that the Iranian petrol and diesel is being smuggled, causing losses of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. "In every nook and cranny of Karachi, people have set up shops where they sell the smuggled oil with the permission of the police," he said. "I want the home ministry to explain what steps they have taken to curb the smuggling."

Parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro responded that it was the job of the border security agencies, such as the Coast Guards and the Customs officials, to curb the menace. The provincial government has nothing to do with it, he insisted, much to the annoyance of some MQM MPAs, who questioned the role of the police in charging bribes and allowing these illegal shops to run. "These are live bombs that can lead to disaster in the city. We want action against them," said Ahmed.

The speaker did not, however, allow a debate on the issue. "A debate cannot be started on a call-attention notice," he said, quoting the assembly rules.

Private guards' involvement in crime

The issue of private security companies and guards involved in criminal activities was also taken up during the proceedings when MQM's deputy parliamentary leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan diverted the attention of the House towards the bank robbery in Soldier Bazaar. "There are no proper checks and the people involved in criminal activities are being inducted in the security agencies," he said. Information minister Sharjeel Memon was of the view that the matter pertains to the federal government, which issues licences to such companies.

Missing workers

Earlier, the opposition leader, Faisal Subzwari, spoke about the missing persons and the bodies of MQM workers being found in the city. Memon demanded he show the government an official list before levelling any allegations against the law enforcement agencies. "A criminal who fires at a police van cannot be innocent," he said. "The police have a right to retaliate. But, we condemn the extra-judicial killings and will probe the matter," he promised.

The legislators also passed a resolution to pay tribute to the Pakistani street children football team for their brilliant performance in the Street Child Football World Cup. They demanded the Sindh government support these children in the future. Khurrum Sher Zaman of the PTI, Irum Azeem Farooque of the MQM and Saniya Naz of the PPP had moved the resolutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2014.