KARACHI: Instead of making attempts to resolve the crisis in the drought-hit Thar desert, the Sindh government appears to be more interested in staging photo sessions, with billions of rupees being lost to corruption, said the opposition parties in the provincial assembly while addressing separate press conferences on Thursday.

Leader of the Opposition Shaharyar Mahar, who represents the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional in the Sindh Assembly, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement deputy parliamentary leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan asked the government to prove where in Sindh billions of rupees had been spent over the past few years.

“Forty per cent budget of the local government is being swallowed by corruption in government,” said Mr Mahar, adding that the National Accountability Bureau had been requested to take up the issue of corruption in order to save Sindh from total collapse. He said that instead of deputing ministers and lawmakers to ensure that immediate relief was provided to the drought-hit people, the chief minister was holding a cabinet meeting in Mithi.

Mr Mahar was accompanied by parliamentary party leader Nand Kumar and PML-F lawmaker Dr Rafique Bhanban at the press conference on the steps of the main Sindh Assembly building.

He made it clear to the media that the opposition had tried not to do politics on the Thar issue by tabling a resolution in the assembly which adopted it unanimously.

“By the resolution we have demanded that the government form a parliamentary committee comprising members from all political parties in the house. The parliamentary committee should visit the drought-hit district Tharparkar and after assessment of the situation and ground realities it should suggest a viable solution that not only helps the Tharis in overcoming their present travails but also makes recommendations to reduce their sufferings during such recurring calamities in future as well.”

But he regretted that instead of forming the committee, the chief minister held his cabinet meeting in Thar. The chief minister instead of solving the problems of Tharis came up with lame excuses such as that the real cause of rising death toll of children in Thar was maternal health and high birth rate in the area.

He said the minister, who had been accused of indulging in misappropriation of 45,000 bags of wheat, was made official in charge of wheat distribution. However, Ali Mardan Shah, who was one of the members in the relief committee, was removed from the committee when he pointed out corruption, he added.

“We did not see existence of the Sindh government anywhere. In local government, corruption has increased from 20 to 40 per cent while rules of the public procurement regulatory act were openly violated in official dealings,” he said.

While responding to questions, Mr Mahar said there were 119 town municipal officers in the province and every TMO was being provided Rs20 million to carry out functions of local government. “But where is this fund being consumed?” he questioned.

Asked if he intended to table a no-confidence motion against the chief minister, Mr Mahar said this reality could not be denied that it would be a futile attempt as the PML-F didn’t have the required number of votes in the house to do so. However, he said, after consultation with the MQM such a move could be taken into consideration.

In reply to another question, he said it was the third year that opposition lawmakers were denied of any development fund to implement uplift schemes in their constituencies and provide relief to the people. He said they were raising the issue because they felt the agony of the common man who were made to suffer despite having all resources in the province.

Later, the MQM came up with a strong reaction to the chief minister’s reported statement that the opposition party was in fact responsible for the Thar situation. “The MQM has served this province, not looted it,” said Khawaja Izharul Hasan while addressing a press conference at the assembly building.

He said the criticism by the Pakistan Peoples Party of the Dr Arbab Rahim government was uncalled for, as he had implemented many schemes, particularly in the road sector, in Thar and other parts of Sindh.

“The chief minister who is holding portfolios of more than a dozen of ministries can never question others. His performance has declined so much that voice is being raised against from within his own party ranks and the opposition doesn’t need to bring a no-trust motion against trust him,” said the MQM deputy parliamentary leader.

Accompanied by other senior party leaders and legislators, he asked the chief minister to come up with details of Rs3,000 billion spent on different Sindh projects over more than five years under the PPP rule.

The chief minister during his recent visit to Thar had blamed the MQM for being ignorant towards Sindh district despite keeping the health ministry since 2002 that had worsened health-related issue in the province.

In response to the statement, the MQM leader said: “The MQM served even those areas such as Lyari which had never been its stronghold. The party never differentiates while serving needy and deserving people. The Sindh chief minister is in fact covering his crimes by levelling allegations against the MQM.”

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2014