Daily Times

Karachi: Opposition in the Sindh Assembly on Saturday continued its criticism of the PPP government’s lack of attention to social issues, with MQM-P lawmakers going as far as suggesting that if until the next assembly session the PPP’s attitude towards Karachi remained the same, they would demand that the city be made a separate administrative unit.

They said during its 10-year term in power the PPP had remained focused on concerns of big farmers only.

Faisal Ali Subzwari of MQM-P said that the Chief Minister had said himself admitted that there were grave issues in the province despite the fact that Rs1,500 billion had been spent by the PPP in the past 10 years. “People are not blind. They will not cast their vote for PPP. Karachi contributes 90 percent of the revenue in the Sindh budget but it gets just 10 percent of the funds.”

“Foreign NGOs are not ready to work with the Department of Education in Sindh. According to NGOs reports; the primary and elementary school enrolment rate in Sindh is the poorest in the country,” he said.

He added, “PPP will not be seen anywhere in Liaqatabad once elections approach.”

Subzwari said that there was no potable water in Dadu and Larkana and the government could not provide the country’s largest metropolitan centre with enough water either. “I admit that we made mistakes in the past and we will learn from our mistakes. We were not supposed to hold rallies on May 12, 2007. All parties are guilty of violence in this city on that day. All of us had to pay an expense as our workers were killed, now we are paying the penalty,” he added. He also said that in the census of 2017, the population of Sindh was underreported. “The PPP government says that they will not let Sindh be divided even if its destroyed. Rao Anwar scored a political point and if the PPP’s attitude remains the same then the demand for a new administrative unit will be discussed in the Assembly. In accordance with constitution and population, there should be new province, but PPP is afraid of doing that.”

MQM legislator Kamran Akhter said that in Pakistan’s history, PPP government in the province would be remembered as a big joke with the people.” In their statements, they compare Sindh to Europe. But in reality, the government hasn’t been able to deliver on any of its commitments. They could not complete any project for public transport in the last decade. No new school has been set up in Sehwan, there is no area in the province that is not affected by Hepatitis.” In Faryal Talpur’s constituency, he said, a water drainage scheme was still not papers only, therefore, the electorate were deprived on clean drinking water, while the parliamentarians were provided bottled water.

He said another door of corruption had opened with Rs90 billion spending approved for Larkana. “No one is ready to ask where this money has been spent.”

He challenged the government to order an audit of water and municipalities department and asked the Chief Minister to make a judicial commission on financial accounting of municipalities and irrigation.

He said he would quit politics if the charges he was raising against the government were not established in the audit.

“Lyari Express way and Bilawal Bhutto Engineering College, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and Bin Qasim Town have all remained incomplete in 10 years.”

“The House has claimed that 15 universities have been made in Sindh. The fact is that work has started just on five universities and they have also not been completed yet,” he said. “The government only made new records in corruption.” During the session, Amir Haider Shah Sheerazi, an independent MPA, said there was no development work in Thatta and asked where had Thatta’s development funds been spent. “The Sindh government should respond. Is Thatta not a part of Sindh? There is no furniture in schools, water and washroom.”

He further said that 500 schools in Thatta were closed down and 4,000 schools were shut down in Sindh. “Thatta district has a historic status but government is not considering this area and in that time there were four hundred and universities in districts.”

“The irony is that in our province 40,000 patients are suffering from Hepatitis and there is a severe shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in hospitals and health department is busy in cosmetic changes only.”

He also raised the issue of shortage of water in Thatta and Sajawal. “PPP has held a sit-in for water scarcity. It is easier to protest than to do some work and solve people’s issues.”

Ruckus as PML-F lawmaker raises shoe at deputy speaker

A ruckus started during the session PML-F MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi raised a shoe at deputy speaker Shehla Raza. The PML-F MPA took off her shoe and showed it to the deputy speaker following an argument between opposition parties regarding the budget.

Shocked by Abbasi’s move, the deputy speaker asked her to leave the assembly premises. “Nusrat Seher Abbasi will not attend the assembly session today,” Raza said, adding, “Abbasi has issues and she has proven that she is not worthy of sitting in the assembly.”

“This is no way to behave. To show a shoe is a crime not a mistake. For the past five days, all that has happened in the assembly is drama.”

Lashing out at Abbasi, the deputy speaker further said, “If women from opposition parties are creating noise in the House, then women from the ruling party should respond,” she said, questioning why female MPAs of Pakistan Peoples Party are quiet.

MPAs’ reaction

Speaking on the issue, PPP lawmaker Manzoor Wassan said, “A conspiracy is being hatched to show politicians in a bad light. The world is watching what is happening in the assembly. By raising a shoe, Abbasi has disrespected the assembly.” “In Balochistan Assembly a similar incident also happened,” he said, adding that a lot of parties want to destroy the assembly’s peaceful environment.

MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan also condemned the incident. “I condemn whatever happened in the assembly today,” Hasan said.

Published in Daily Times, May 20^th 2018.