PA approves Rs156b supplementary budget amid uproar
The supplementary budget, presented by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the finance portfolio, included allocations for the Governor's Secretariat, Provincial Assembly, and judicial expenses, among others. The CM tabled 84 supplementary demands for grants, which were passed by a majority vote after the opposition's motions were clubbed and rejected collectively.
In his address, CM Shah detailed the breakdown of the expenditures: Rs5 billion for judicial (charged) expenses, Rs3 billion for the Sindh Assembly, over Rs1 billion for the Governor's House, and a significant Rs59 billion for debt servicing. He emphasized that judicial expenses are constitutionally protected and beyond the executive's control, while urging administrative departments to exercise fiscal restraint.
Opposition Leader Ali Khursheedi criticized the consolidation of cut motions, arguing that the opposition had invested considerable effort in drafting them individually. However, the Speaker maintained procedural authority and moved forward with a collective vote.
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