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• Senior minister Sharjeel restrained from confronting opposition MPA
• MQM-P stages walkout after demand to expunge colleague’s speech
• Speaker promises inquiry into alleged threats made during budget debate
KARACHI: Heated exchanges and bitter accusations marked the Sindh Assembly’s 12-hour-long debate on the provincial budget on Monday, with opposition and treasury members, including a minister, coming close to a physical altercation at one point.
Tensions prevailed from the outset of the proceedings, but the house turned chaotic during Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) member Farhan Ansari’s fiery speech, which provoked Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon into shouting at him from his seat.
The minister, clearly enraged, rose from his seat and attempted to approach the opposition MPA, but was held back by fellow treasury lawmakers, who demanded an apology from the opposition members for unparliamentary words.
However, the MQM-P members left the house as Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar requested Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed in the chair to expunge the entire speech of the MQM-P member.
When Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah took the chair, the law minister raised a point of order and pressed for an inquiry into alleged threats made by Mr Ansari during his speech.
He said he hoped the deputy speaker had already expunged the objectionable remarks. “The entire House was threatened with ‘bodies in sacks’. I order an inquiry into this matter,” he said, adding that his own party members had been threatened.
He asked the speaker to personally head the inquiry: “You should monitor this inquiry, please conduct it under your own leadership,” he said.
The speaker said that he had heard the opposition member’s speech in his chamber. “The words were very inappropriate. Give me the details. I will have the video pulled out. I’ll look into it,” he added.
Responding to the law minister, MQM-P lawmaker Taha Ahmed said: “By all means hold an inquiry, but our stance should also be heard.”
He said that there should be an investigation into how the provocation started.
The MQM-P member reminded the chair of an earlier understanding that it was agreed that the leadership would not be discussed. “Even senior members of the PPP were escalating the fight.
He said that selective action would be unfair. “If you are expunging Farhan Ansari’s speech, then expunge all speeches in which unparliamentary language was used,” he demanded.
Lawmakers participated in post-budget debate
During the proceedings, as many as 38 lawmakers from the two sides of the aisle participated in the post-budget debate on its fourth day.
Industries and Commerce Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo said that the provincial government had presented a “better budget” despite difficult economic conditions.
Referring to the Gul Plaza tragedy, he said the provincial government had released Rs8 billion for the victims.
The provincial minister accused the Centre of “continued injustices” with Sindh, citing prolonged gas loadshedding and the province’s exclusion from motorway projects.
He also raised the issue of water scarcity and criticised calls to hand over Karachi to the federation, saying those making such demands were “not sincere with Sindh”.
Social Welfare Minister Mir Tariq Talpur said his department had issued senior citizen cards, adding that a shelter home for the elderly had been built in Karachi with more planned across Sindh.
He said over 270,000 calls had been received on the child protection helpline, which operates in 30 districts, and that shelters for children had also been set up.
He added that more than 8,000 drug addicts had been treated in collaboration with the Anti-Narcotics Force.
Zakat Auqaf and Zakat Minister Riaz Shah Sherazi said 35 schemes of his department were underway, with 14 completed and the rest to be finished in the new fiscal year.
He said the Keti Bandar port would benefit the entire country and that funds had been allocated for a protective embankment from Gharo to Ali Bandar to check sea intrusion.
He added that revenue from the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi was spent on the shrine itself and that its schemes would be completed next year.
The minister said that Rs660 million in Zakat funds was being given to hospitals.
Universities and Boards Minister Mohammad Ismail Rahoo said that 37 schemes of his department were ongoing, including 27 continuing projects.
He said Sindh had only 10 universities before 2008, but the PPP government had established 20 more, raising the number of campuses from two to 18.
Student enrollment, he said, had risen from 35,000 before 2008 to over 137,000.
MQM-P member Maaz Mehboob said that the development budget stood at “zero,” with only Rs100bn allocated for Karachi.
“There is no clarity on when the BRT Red Line will be completed, while not a single brick has been laid on the Yellow Line BRT despite the release of Rs8.5bn,” he said.
The MQM-P lawmaker said that Karachi was once the City of Lights, but now it was called the “City of Corruption”.
He claimed that 18,000 mobile phones and 21,600 vehicles had been snatched from citizens.
He lamented that no scheme had been earmarked for the youth in the budget, whereas Punjab had set aside Rs40bn for them.
He said that Sindh’s youth were protesting against the Sindh Public Service Commission.
He further said 27 people had died in Karachi after falling into open manholes and said the province had failed.
Later, the house was adjourned to Tuesday (today).
Published in Dawn, June 23rd , 2026
