KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday continued general discussion on the budget. 25 members belonging to the treasury and opposition benches took part in the debate.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) member Khairunisa Mughal said the Sindh government is serving people. She said, “We have improved law and order. The federation is not giving due funds to Sindh province.”
The opposition in Sindh Assembly on Monday also staged walkout in the support of journalists against ban on media.
According to reports, both print and electronic media reporters covering Sindh Assembly session walked out from assembly session for an hour against ban on media for covering the proceedings. On the occasion, opposition parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also supported journalist community and walked out of the session.
The journalist community also held protest at the stairs of Sindh Assembly and protested for an hour. While discussing budget 2016-17, Muhammad Sajid Jokhio of PPP said that this is a people-friendly budget adding that it will give a lot of relief to the poor people of Sindh.
Similarly, PPP member Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani said that it is a balanced budget adding that efforts are being made to solve problems of masses.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Samar Ali Khan said that the government should restore the trust of people adding that corruption should be ended. He said the taxpayers’ money should be spent on people and the money of poor masses should not be used for filling pockets of rulers.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Muhammad Dilawar Qureshi said the budget speech of the Sindh finance minister was a pack of lies adding that the province of Sindh is facing immense problems but the corrupt rulers are not resolving them.
Waryam Faqeer of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) said that the budget should be used properly adding that corruption and waste of funds should be avoided. He said water distribution should be made properly and problems of Sanghar should be resolved. PPP MPA Irum Khalid said, “We have given a people-friendly budget. The federal government is not releasing funds of Sindh province.”
Muhammad Ismail Rahu of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said that the PPP has presented its ninth budget in a row but failed to address the basic problems of people of the province. He said every sector is backward and now people of Sindh are fed up of this type of politics. MQM’s Mahfooz Yar Khan said that it is just jugglery of words and figures adding that people are being befooled by the rulers. He said that if problems of people would not be resolved they would demand to make Karachi as a new administrative province.
After the comments of Mahfooz Yar Khan, treasury members protested strongly in the House. Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh of PML-F said that the corruption is everywhere and infrastructure in Shikarpur, Larkana, Sukkur and other cities is in shambles. He said Shikarpur is being neglected because its voters elected PML-F adding that Shikarpur should be given a university. He demanded to complete the lingering drainage scheme of his town.
PPP’s Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani said the government despite difficult conditions has given a balanced budget adding that we have achieved our tax collection target.
MQM’s Sabir Hussain said that all the provincial government departments are full of corruption and this is a false budget. He said government even cannot run the education department and is seeking help from the NGOs adding that it is better to close the government department and give funds directly to people to resolve their issues. Pir Mujeebul Haq of PPP said that district Dadu has been neglected in this budget adding that the lingering projects of Dadu should be completed before the coming general elections.
MQM’s Qamar Abbas said the government should control corruption and funds should be spent for welfare of people adding that the problems of Karachi should be addressed immediately. Later, the speaker adjourned the House till tomorrow (Wednesday).