Protests from opposition benches began soon after finance minister Murad Ali Shah started his speech. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly rejected the provincial budget, terming it ‘anti-poor’ on Saturday.
Protests from opposition benches began soon after finance minister Murad Ali Shah started his speech. While lawmakers of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf staged two walkouts during the speech, MPAs belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were tight-lipped and heard the speech intently. However, they, too, rejected the budget while speaking to the media later.
As the session started with speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in chair, opposition lawmakers complained that no incentive has been given to the people of Sindh.
Interestingly, MQM, the largest opposition party, remained mum throughout the dramatic session. However, opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan reacted strongly outside the assembly. “They have once against neglected Karachi and other urban areas,” he said. “We also reject this budget.” He lambasted the provincial government for complaining that the federal government does not release the funds for Sindh, adding that the real question is about the utilisation of funds.
MQM calls for strike
Meanwhile, the MQM called for a shutter-down strike in Sindh on Sunday. Speaking to The Express Tribune, MQM parliamentarian Dr Farooq Sattar called it a ‘traditional, feudal minded and anti-development’ budget and said that the schemes proposed by the MQM, including [those related to] water crises were not accepted.
The Rabita Committee has requested transporters and traders to suspend their activities and urged the people of Sindh to observe the strike with them.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2015.
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