26 June 2004	Saturday	07 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, June 25: The opposition in the Sindh Assembly claimed on Friday that the province would suffer a loss of Rs271 billion because of the government's inability to get the NFC award issue finalized.

Speaking during the budget debate, PPP's Syed Murad Ali Shah pointed out that the Sindh Assembly had adopted a resolution, articulating the basis for the new NFC award, according to which Sindh's share should have been Rs355 billion. But the estimated share of the province now was Rs84 billion, causing a loss of Rs271 billion.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah presided over the session.

Mr Shah accused the government of failing to obtain a new NFC award, and said if there was any problem with regard to the implementation of the assembly resolution, it should have come back to the assembly.

He said the government was showering praises on its budget but the fact was that there was a revenue shortfall of Rs7.5 billion.

Comparing the government's performance with that of the PPP government in 1997-97, Murad Ali Shah pointed out that under his party's government the budget was in surplus, but today it was in deficit of Rs4,218 million.

He claimed that due to water shortage agriculture production in the province had been reduced by 50 per cent. He was also critical of the government for presenting a deceptive picture regarding sale of wheat.

The PPP member also lamented the plight of the people of Manchur who were being forced to drink contaminated water for the past seven years as nothing had been done so far by the governments.

Earlier, Mohammad Yunus Barai of the MMA said the budget was prepared under the guidelines of the IMF and the World Bank.

He said the budget had been prepared to suit the post-9/11 agenda of the West to target the Muslim world under the guise of the international campaign against terrorism, of which President Gen Pervez Musharraf was an integral part. His remarks about the 9/11 attacks and Gen Musharraf drew criticism from the treasury benches.

The MMA member also blamed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for the setback on the NFC and claimed that because of the government's adamant attitude Sindh had to suffer the loss. He was also critical of the national drainage programme which had caused water-logging and salinity.

However, Shakir Ali of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement gave a befitting reply, and claimed that the stand taken by the Sindh government and Syed Sardar Ahmad was based on principles.

Responding to the criticism that the budget provided no relief to the common man and on the law and order situation, the MQM member said it was a biased view and claimed that the budget was balanced.

About law and order, he said the terrorists from Shakai and Wana had spread to all parts of the country and in order to nab them it was necessary to link all police stations of the country through computers and integrate them through a cyber link.

He also called for providing more relief to industrialists and water to farmers at reduced rates. Electricity should also be provided at nominal rate.

Over the prevailing law and order, he indirectly attacked the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, and said that terrorist activity in Sindh was far less as compared to Balochistan.

He said the government was fighting a war for the integrity of Pakistan. Paying tribute to military men who died during the Wana operation, he indirectly criticized the MMA and claimed that those who had opposed the creation of Pakistan and had called it a 'kafiristan', could not be sincere with the country.

He accused the opposition of undermining the country's integrity.

Responding to this charge, Mr Hameedullah said those who had burnt Pakistan's flag should not accuse others and instead do some soul-searching.

Earlier, during the question hour when Deputy Speaker Rahila Tiwana presided the session for some time, the atmosphere became noisy as the MMA and PPP members started shouting "go Rahila go".

She kept on asking the members to maintain decorum and proceeded with the questions. But the opposition members did not oblige.

After some time when Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah returned the opposition held the deputy speaker responsible for the disorder in the house. However, the treasury benches and the speaker said the matter was subjudice. The law minister claimed that her election was duly notified. The MMA challenged it but the court had not given any stay order. He said when the speaker assumed the charge of acting governor the opposition had not objected to her presiding the session.

FLOUR CRISIS: Taking part in the budget debate in the afternoon session, Nasrullah Baloch of the PPP pointed out difference in the price of wheat flour in Sindh and Punjab.

He claimed that in Sindh the wheat flour price had gone up to Rs20 per kg because of its shortage but in Punjab it was still being sold at Rs9 per kg.

He alleged that in the budget no incentives had been provided to farmers to produce a bumper wheat crop.

The session which began at 3.15pm was adjourned till Saturday at 9.30am by Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah soon after the call for Maghrib prayers for want of quorum when it was pointed out by the opposition.

Mohammad Hussain of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said that despite being a mineral-rich province, the people of Sindh were living a miserable life as most of the resources were being utilized to facilitate rulers and bureaucrats whereas a large population of the province were forced to live below the poverty level.