KARACHI: Members of the provincial assembly, led by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, ministers and other lawmakers on Wednesday set a precedent by staging a sit-in on a footpath opposite the assembly building against K-Electric and the federal government’s ‘unjust policies’ causing prolonged loadshedding in the current heatwave in Sindh.

During the half-an-hour-long sit-in, the protesters raised slogans such as Sindh ke sath zulm bund karo; Jeena hoga marna hoga, dharna hoga dharna hoga; Bijli do pani do, warna kursi chhor do.

The chief minister told the media that the federal government was responsible for the deaths which multiplied in the current heatwave due to prolonged loadshedding. He demanded an end to loadshedding in Karachi and other parts of Sindh that provided the largest share of gas to the country.

PA grants 34 of 50 supplementary budget statement demands

Earlier, the house witnessed a marathon session from 10.35am to 6pm during which Senior Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his impassioned speech responded to criticism against the provincial budget. His speech was followed by the chief minister’s response to the critics of the budget proposals, rejecting the arguments lawmakers from the opposition benches had made during the past six days of the general discussion on the budget.

After the chief minister’s speech, the charged expenditure was taken up for discussion, but none of the lawmakers appeared interested in the discussion. Finally, the finance minister presented demands for grant on supplementary budget statement for the year 2014-15. As no cut motions were received against 34 of 50 demands, the house granted them. The remaining 16 demands were put off for discussion and voting till Thursday by Speaker Agha Siraj Duranni who called it a day at 6pm.

Following the session, the chief minister along with his cabinet members and other lawmakers marched out of the assembly building and staged a sit-in on the footpath near the post office.

The chief minister said there was no justification for loadshedding in Sindh. In reply to a question, he said that the federal government ought to pay compensation to all bereaved families or resign.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2015

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