KARACHI, June 14: Six more members took part in the general discussion on budget2005-06 when the Sindh Assembly met on Tuesday, the second day of its budget session. Opposition benches’ outrage over the arrest of MPA Zahid Bhurgari and the ‘treatment being meted out to him’, again created chaotic scenes during the deliberations, which had to be suspended for the day before other members could speak on budget.
The opposition members who expressed their views termed the budget ‘anti-people’ pointing out that it provided no relief to common man. The speakers from treasury benches, however, appreciated allocation of maximum possible funds for social sector.
MQM’s Talib Imam welcomed the allocation of more funds for environment protection. This, he said, would help contain pollution which appeared root-cause of many diseases. He hoped that polio would be eliminated by the next year.
PPP’s Anwar Mahar criticized the budget in which, he said, the agriculture sector had been ignored although it nurtured the biggest segment of the province’s population. He said while the budget offered no measures to reduce the cost of agricultural produce, it envisaged no scheme to accelerate the pace of work on the lining of water courses, which might take about 60 years to complete. He also stressed the need for some sort of facility to insure crops.
Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanullah Khan Marwat said that from the current year, work on five power generation projects would be started and two desalination plants would be established in Karachi for converting 500 mgd seawater to sweet water.
PPP’s Haji Munawwar Ali Abbasi was of the view that the agriculture sector, which was backbone of the economy, was not being paid due attention. He pointed out that the rice procurement price appeared low while fertilizer rates were high. He revealed that in the relevant documents, there was mention of 5,000 tubewells having been installed in upper Sindh, but none of them was visible.
Poonjomal Bheel from the treasury benches appreciated the development projects being executed by the government in the province.
Earlier, during questions hour, Ms Nuzhat Pathan of PPP raised a point of order to criticize the government for ‘subjecting an elected member of the house to deplorable treatment’. Deputy Speaker Ms Rahila Tiwana was presiding over the session.
Ms Pathan maintained that the member, Zahid Bhurgari, had been taken to a court in an armoured vehicle and his face appeared covered with a scarf when he was produced before the court.
“This is not insulting for Mr Bhurgari alone, but the entire elected house,” she remarked, adding: “If the house could not protect honour of an elected member of its own, what is the utility of this prestigious assembly?” she staged a token walkout to register her protest.
Leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said: “At this moment when the performance of the government is under discussion, it may be noted that it is a part of the government’s performance to implicate an MPA in a false case, humiliate him and produce him before a court.”
Mohammad Hussain from treasury benches reminded the members that raising points of order in a budget session was against the prescribed rules. Objecting to the members’ speeches in favour of Mr Bhurgari’s arrest, he said that courts were there to decide who was right and who was wrong.
His remarks triggered off a series of verbal bouts between the opposition and treasury benches as a lot of members from both the sides started shouting at each other. Amid a complete disorder, break for Zuhr prayers was announced.
When the house reassembled at 2pm, Mohammad Hussain, a member of the panel of chairmen, took the speaker’s seat.
Nuzhat Pathan was asked to resume her speech on budget but she confined her speech to the issue of Mr Bhurgari’s arrest.
When the floor was given to Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro, all opposition members resumed hooting and demanded release of Mr Bhurgari amid thumping of desks. The treasury side could not resist and continued to responded accordingly.
Failing to restore order, the chair called it a day. The house will meet again on Wednesday morning.
