Gone viral: MPAs spend entire session discussing Khuhro’s video
PML-F's Nusrat Abbasi levels one allegation after another against the government.
Opposition leader Shahriyar Khan expressing his views on Nisar Khuhro's viral video. PHOTO :PPI
KARACHI:
Education minister Nisar Khuhro's 'inappropriate' video ended up consuming the entire Sindh Assembly session on Monday when the lawmakers were supposed to discuss the upcoming budget.
Members of the opposition raised the issue of a 'leaked' video that shows the senior minister watching a mujra at a party. This led to pandemonium in the House as the treasury members rose in defence.
During her speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional's Nusrat Sehar Abbasi waved her cellphone as she censured Khuhro for his actions and demanded he apologise. "Sindh education minister ka zameer so gaya hai [The Sindh education minister has lost his conscience]."
The female members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were upset by her speech and stood up to respond. They were told to calm down by Syed Murad Ali Shah, who was presiding over the session in the absence of the speaker.
Budget plans
Abbasi continued to criticise the government as she started speaking about the budget. She complained that five minutes were not enough time for her to expose the billions of rupees that the Sindh government has embezzled.
"I want to raise the issue of Rs22 billion worth of corruption in Sindh government departments pointed out by the auditor general in a report and I want to know the details of ‘terrorists’ appointed in KWSB and KMC as disclosed by the local government minister," said Abbasi.
Abbasi spoke about the nearly 30,000 fake appointments in the education department and 5,000 jobs handed out in the local government department during PPP's last tenure. "The local government minister has taken up the broom in his hands but we should see if this broom is to sweep the city or the budget," she said, questioning the palaces owned by the minister in Dubai, Karachi and Tharparkar districts.
Supporting dictators
PPP's Manzoor Wasan, who is considered the arch rival of the PML-F in Khairpur district, accused the PML-F of supporting dictators. His speech was repeatedly interrupted by Abbasi despite Shah's repeated attempts to calm her down.
He accused PML-F leader Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi of illegally allotting 0.3 million acres, tampering with revenue records and then selling the land at throwaway prices. An irrigation department bungalow, worth Rs600 million, was sold by these people to their party leader for Rs6 million, said Wasan.
"Wasan has been given the portfolio of anti-corruption because he is the most corrupt minister in the Sindh cabinet," replied PML-F's Shaharyar Mahar. The resulting war of words made the acting speaker adjourn the session till Tuesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2015.
Education minister Nisar Khuhro's 'inappropriate' video ended up consuming the entire Sindh Assembly session on Monday when the lawmakers were supposed to discuss the upcoming budget.
Members of the opposition raised the issue of a 'leaked' video that shows the senior minister watching a mujra at a party. This led to pandemonium in the House as the treasury members rose in defence.
During her speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional's Nusrat Sehar Abbasi waved her cellphone as she censured Khuhro for his actions and demanded he apologise. "Sindh education minister ka zameer so gaya hai [The Sindh education minister has lost his conscience]."
The female members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were upset by her speech and stood up to respond. They were told to calm down by Syed Murad Ali Shah, who was presiding over the session in the absence of the speaker.
Budget plans
Abbasi continued to criticise the government as she started speaking about the budget. She complained that five minutes were not enough time for her to expose the billions of rupees that the Sindh government has embezzled.
"I want to raise the issue of Rs22 billion worth of corruption in Sindh government departments pointed out by the auditor general in a report and I want to know the details of ‘terrorists’ appointed in KWSB and KMC as disclosed by the local government minister," said Abbasi.
Abbasi spoke about the nearly 30,000 fake appointments in the education department and 5,000 jobs handed out in the local government department during PPP's last tenure. "The local government minister has taken up the broom in his hands but we should see if this broom is to sweep the city or the budget," she said, questioning the palaces owned by the minister in Dubai, Karachi and Tharparkar districts.
Supporting dictators
PPP's Manzoor Wasan, who is considered the arch rival of the PML-F in Khairpur district, accused the PML-F of supporting dictators. His speech was repeatedly interrupted by Abbasi despite Shah's repeated attempts to calm her down.
He accused PML-F leader Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi of illegally allotting 0.3 million acres, tampering with revenue records and then selling the land at throwaway prices. An irrigation department bungalow, worth Rs600 million, was sold by these people to their party leader for Rs6 million, said Wasan.
"Wasan has been given the portfolio of anti-corruption because he is the most corrupt minister in the Sindh cabinet," replied PML-F's Shaharyar Mahar. The resulting war of words made the acting speaker adjourn the session till Tuesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2015.