KARACHI-As the pre-budget debate in the Sindh Assembly continued on Wednesday, opposition lawmakers criticised the treasury for what it called ‘lack of interest’ as majority of ministers either remained absent during the session being held so that legislators could forward their suggestion for the budget 2023-24.
In his speech, Mufti Qasim Fakhri, parliamentary leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan vehemently criticised the provincial ministers over their ‘disinterest’ in the pre-budget session and asked as to whom they should give their budget proposals. He said that the pre-budget session was held so that members particularly of opposition benches could forward their suggestions and recommendations for the upcoming budget but the minister did not attend the session.
“I came here to put up my suggestions before the provincial government but after seeing lethargic attitude, I will not give my recommendations as a protest. The only suggestion I am forwarding today is that ministers who don’t come to assembly should resign,” the TLP parliamentary leader said. He said that when the ministers cannot sit in the assembly, how will they serve the people. Mufti Qasim said that if the PPP’s provincial government cannot run the affairs, it should let the TLP to do so.
Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) Shaheryar Mahar said that the rains had exposed the ‘incompetence’ of the irrigation department and demanded that the drainage system in Shikarpur should be improved. He said that drainage system was improved a bit in areas of influential people and rest of the Shikarpur was ignored.“If the drainage system was improved, there would not have been so much destruction in the province during the rains,” he added. The GDA lawmaker also expressed concerned over law and order situation of Sindh particularly Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Khairpur is worse.
He said that law and order in the three districts was worst, demanding to replace the home minister who he said had failed to protect lives and properties of the people. “We have had the same home minister for 15 years. If he is not working, replace him,” he said. Mahar also took a jibe at the provincial and federal governments over inflation and said it was announced that flour would be sold at Rs 95 per Kilogram but at present it was being sold at Rs. 170 per kg PTI’s Saeed Ahmed Afridi mainly focused on issues of his constituency and said that sewage system in his constituency was in disarray. He said that parks and playgrounds had been destroyed, demanding at least one sport complex in his constituency so that the people could get part in healthy activities.
He said that the work for establishing a 200-beded government hospital in Mominabad was initiated back in 2012 but the same could not be completed even after 11 years.
Afridi said that officials of Sindh government had also admitted that around 15 schools in his constituency were deprived of basic necessities including water and electricity.
Minimum wage should be Rs. 35,000
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Rabia Khatoon demanded that Rs. 35,000 should be fixed as minimum wage in the private sector in view of the inflation.
