KARACHI - A brief but exchange of harsh words witnessed in the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday when MPA from opposition benches reminded the government of its Chief Minister’s announcement which is not implemented so far.
After prayer for deceased souls, Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro announced to take up the question-hour, which was pertaining to the law and parliamentary affairs’ department.
MPA Arif Mustafa Jatoi of NPP from opposition benches rose on point of order and drew the attention towards his short notice question regarding the finance department.
Jatoi putting his question said that Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in last budget session had announced to raise the funds of uplift schemes for MPAs’ priority programme from existing Rs60 million to Rs80 million but this announcement is not implemented by the finance department so far. In support of their colleague, female MPAs from opposition Syeda Marvi Rashid and Nusrat Sehar Abbasi rose on the seat and echoed with slogan of ‘Shame Shame’ against the not implementation on the CM’s announcement. Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah from PPP in his reply said that this question does not pertained to the finance department as Planning and Development Department deals with the MPAs’ priority programme.
However, Jatoi did not satisfy with the answer and continued his point saying, “Sweet promises were made by the CM, who is head of the government of the province to raising the Rs20 million in the MPAs’ uplift schemes’ funds from Rs60 to Rs80 million.
The financial year is about ending but these all promises proved false, Jatoi remarked, asking that whether the Rs20 million of each MPA were taken by the Chief Minister himself.
“The government should reply to the house why the false promises were made to the lawmakers in Sindh Assembly,” emotionally charged Arif Jatoi demanded to the government.
Law minister Ayaz Soomro, Finance Minister Murad Shah and Information Minister Shajreel Inam Memon from PPP side rose on seats to reply with same tone.
Soomro while replying to the criticism of the opposition urged the chair to conduct the blood test of the Arif Jatoi to ascertain whether he has come in the Assembly in ‘drunken’ condition in the morning.
The remarks of law minister irked the already protesting thin opposition, who also exchanged the harsh words against the law minister, besides the Jam Madad Ali, Arif Jatoi, Marvi Rashdi and Nusrat Abbasi continuously echoed slogans with ‘we do not accept false promises’. PML-F’s parliamentary leader Jam Madad Ali in reply to the law minister’s comments advised the chair to conduct blood test of all the members to ascertain diseases they carry with them.
After brief pandemonium and exchange of harsh words, the situation returned to normalcy in the house and other business taken up with turn by turn.