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Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Uproar in PA over provincial budget 2025-26
The discussion on the provincial budget for 2025-26 commenced in the Sindh Assembly on Monday with several members from government as well as opposition benches voicing contrasting views. The session, with Deputy Speaker Naveed Anthony in the chair, saw mixed reaction as government members hailed the budget as a people-centric, while opposition members termed it as anti-poor and away from ground realities. Opening the debate, MQM-P's Jamal Ahmed Khan highlighted the problems in his constituency, saying that people in North Nazimabad were struggling for water. He said, the solid waste management system was dysfunctional, and trash remained uncollected for three days, negates city mayor's commitment of cleaning all areas and roads. Jamal questioned, which roads and areas he is talking about? PPP's Shazia Karim accused the federal government of discriminatory treatment towards Sindh. She criticised the exclusion of key projects including the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway and the K-IV water project. She questioned, "Is Sindh a slave to the federation?" PPP's Ijaz Shah Bukhari said the people had not forgotten the days of bodies found in gunny bags in Karachi, asserting that the PPP had always stood by the public. He criticised the federal government's neglectful attitude toward Sindh, pointing out the ongoing 16-hour power outages in the province. He called for upgrading the Tando Muhammad Khan Hospital to the district level, increasing its budget, and providing a fire brigade for the local municipal committee. MQM-P's Abdullah Sheikh warned against maligning the Mohajir community through 'baseless allegations', while raising pointed questions about Zulfiqar Mirza from the gang war era. He mentioned an incident in Surjani Town where one person lost his life after receiving an extortion note. PPP's Maliha Manzoor defended saying, the budget was people-friendly. "Women flood victims will receive property rights. Pink buses are already operating in Karachi, and we plan to introduce EV taxis and scooters," she said. MQM-P's Farah Sohail slammed the budget as anti-people, saying the Sindh government continued the 17-year trend of ignoring public needs. She question, where the PPP's 'Roti, Kapra aur Makaan' has gone. She claimed that development funds were slashed and projects left uninitiated. She also criticised the government's health sector performance, pointing out that an assembly member was set to receive Rs70 million in public funds for medical treatment abroad. Ijaz Haq of MQM-P criticised the lack of budget allocations for Orangi Town and the continued neglect of the Qatar Hospital trauma centre. PPP's Nuzhat Pathan said, despite the federal government's neglect, Sindh has managed to present a better budget. PPP's MPA Farzana Baloch raised the issue of K-Electric's overbilling and its impact on Karachi's residents. "Those who pay are punished, while defaulters go unchecked," she remarked. PTI's Muhammad Owais condemned the recent arrests of party workers and MPAs, including former opposition leaders, during a youth wing rally. He criticised the PPP for ignoring opposition recommendations in the budget and failing to manage K-Electric's performance. MQM-P's Adil Askari accused Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah of nepotism and objected to the appointment of his brother-in-law as chief secretary which is against the principles of good governance. His comments drew strong backlash from PPP members. His remarks angered PPP members, leading to an uproar in the House. PPP MPA, Mukesh Chawla strongly objected to the speech and demanded that the chief minister's name be removed from the record, calling the statement 'unnecessary and inflammatory'. Following the objections, members from both parties stood up and exchanged harsh words, further escalating the tension. The session descended into chaos, prompting the acting speaker to intervene. The acting speaker urged the lawmakers, saying, "Please refrain from directly addressing each other. Maintain the dignity of the House." The situation intensified further when another MQM-P member addressed PPP's Farooq Awan, saying, "If, as you say, the MQM founder was a devil, you were probably an inspector in the Sindh Police back then. If you had the courage, you should have spoken up at the time. Now that his politics are over, there's no point in cursing him." Following the debate, the Assembly was adjourned until 10am on Tuesday. The debate is expected to continue over the next several days.
Express Tribune
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Lyari, PPP stronghold, beset by civic issues
The pre-budget discussion continued for the fourth day in Sindh Assembly on Thursday. Members of the assembly, along with cabinet ministers, participated and shed light on the performance of their departments and future projects. The session began with Deputy Speaker Naveed Anthony in the chair. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Yousuf Baloch stated that he was elected to the assembly from Lyari, which is a stronghold of PPP. The area faces severe issues, including 14 to 16 hours of electricity load-shedding daily and shortage of water. He urged the government to focus on resolving the problems of the area. MQM's Irfan Mansoor said that budgets are presented, but no progress is visible on the ground. Most of Sindh's projects are being funded by the World Bank and Asian Bank, so what is the Sindh government itself doing? The MPA from PS-129 has yet to take the oath. Nazimabad, once a posh area, now has its infrastructure completely destroyed. MQM's Muhammad Daniyal highlighted the water issue in his constituency. He mentioned that a scheme exists for the Karsaz bypass, but no work has been done. PPP's Ghulam Qadir Chandio demanded subsidies on tube wells for farmers. He stated that thousands of acres of land in Sukkur are waterlogged after rains, and pumping stations have become non-functional. PTI's Sajid Hussain said his constituency comprises two towns. The population of the area is extremely poor, with no facilities available. There are no facilities for education, health, and security. No new projects have been initiated in his constituency for the past 30 years. PPP's Farrukh Shah requested the chief minister to rebuild 23 schools in his constituency that were destroyed during the rains. MQM's Anil Kumar pointed out that skilled workers are not getting job opportunities. He demanded the establishment of vocational centres for the people of Tharparkar, which would also help empower women. MQM's Farhan Sohail said that a year ago, it was promised that the budget would be people-friendly. The public were shown golden dreams, but is this the way to govern? He said that MQM has always been criticised for being critical. The government should be grateful to the opposition for guiding it in the right direction. He demanded that the upcoming budget include the PFC Award. He also stressed the need to update computer in syllabus, provide health cards and life insurance for the poor, introduce community policing, arrange alternative routes for heavy traffic in Karachi, allocate a separate budget for tree planting, and address the issue of encroachments, which is a major problem.
