HYDERABAD: Outsiders repeatedly disturbed the HMC budget session proceedings on Tuesday and paid no heed to frequent calls to leave the house.

Mayor Kashif Shoro’s Private Secretary G.M. Buriro, in violation of the relevant Rules, took the rostrum to address the house at the very outset of the proceedings and asked ‘unconcerned individuals’ to leave the house.

During the post-lunch session also, Mr Buriro took the rostrum to invite resolutions from members. He sat near deputy mayor’s vacant chair to keep providing resolutions to be tabled in the house.

He has the liberty to move anywhere in the house. This is in addition to council’s staff, including council officer and municipal commissioner Zahoor Lakhan.

The council’s proceedings were being held in the Sindh Museum instead of HMC’s own building, which does not have the capacity to accommodate close to 240 elected representatives and other participants of the session.

“I am not aware of the Rules of the council but yes I am an employee of the education department,” said Mr Buriro, when he was contacted over phone to explain how he could come to the rostrum during council session and address members directly.

“The proceedings were run by mayor himself; I didn’t run the proceedings. But I was there to assist the mayor as his personal coordinator,” he argued.

Mr Buriro did not offer a plausible explanation for his ubiquitous presence in the house throughout daylong proceedings.

In addition to members and mainstream media personnel, unconcerned persons were also seen sitting in the house. Social media users, including those part of the mayor’s team, were even using drone cameras in the house. They were also seen on the stage.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026