Negotiations: Parties fail to reach understanding

Parlimentary leader Nisar Ahmed Khoro presiding over a meeting of parlimentary leaders regarding sindh budget

KARACHI:

Negotiations between the government and opposition parties on the budget proposals failed as the former refused to resolve the grievances of the opposition law makers.

Before the session started with speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the chair, a meeting was convened between the opposition parties and the government to resolve differences on budget issue. Senior minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and finance minister Murad Ali Shah represented the ruling party. Meanwhile, opposition leader Khajawa Izharul Hassan and Syed Sardar Ahmed of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Samar Ali Khan of PTI and Nand Kumar of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional participated on behalf of their parties.  During the meeting, the finance minister suggested the MQM to give up its strike politics against the budget that will create problems for democracy.  “Please give us some time and we will consider your budget suggestions later on,” the finance minister assured the opposition lawmakers. The opposition leader, however, insisted to incorporate their proposal before the budget was passed.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2015.