KARACHI, June 29: After an extended debate and conflicting claims, the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday gave assent to the provincial budget for 2004-05 and the finance bill, which was sought to amend certain laws for providing relief in certain duties and taxes.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah was in the chair when the real proceedings commenced at about 2.15pm, several hours late owing to a briefing for the MPAs by the irrigation secretary on water issue.

While the briefing on water was still in progress, Rajveer Singh as panel chairman was ushered into the hall at time when only five members were present there. He called the house in order and the Qari started reciting verses at a time when usually the proceedings are adjourned for Zohar prayers.

He took up question hour while members from both sides of the divide came running in. However, the quorum was still incomplete. In this situation, the law minister requested the chairman to adjourn the proceedings on the plea that it was time for prayers. He was duly obliged.

When the proceedings were resumed, Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed tabled the Sindh Finance Bill 2004 for approval of the house. The opposition benches were critical on the document, however, the chair got the motion passed on majority vote.

With the approval of this bill, the provincial tax on the airline tickets has been abolished while the tax on the bank cheque has been reduced by one rupee. Besides, tax on petrol stations has been made uniform and each station would now pay Rs2,500.

During the course of debate, the opposition criticized the government for presenting a deficit budget without securing the new NFC Award to protect the interest of Sindh.

The opposition termed the budget anti-people and accused the government of betraying people by compromising on Sindh's cause on the NFC. The treasury benches rejected the premise contending that the provincial government had taken a principled decision to oppose population formula for resource distribution.

The assembly also rejected opposition's three different motions through which it had sought special sitting during the current session for discussing the murder of PPP leader Munawwar Suhrawardi; attack on Corps Commander's convoy in which seven armymen were killed; and assassination of Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai.

Nisar Khuhro wanted the speaker to relax the rules, but, Law Minister Choudhary Iftekhar opposed such move contending that the matter had already been discussed during the session.

Jam Saifullah Dharejo of PPP Parliamentarians pointed out that the minister had himself suggested earlier that after the debate on budget, the house could discuss the issue. "Now he should stand by his commitment," said Mr Dharejo.

Saying that the matter is being investigated and some culprits have been arrested, the law minister accused the opposition of politicizing the issue to spoil the investigations.

The Speaker finally clubbed both the motions of Nisar Khuhro and put them to the house which rejected it because of the numerical superiority. After rejection of both motions of Nisar Khuhro, Nasrullah Shaji, deputy parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i- Amal, moved a motion for discussing the assassination of Mufti Shamzai. The law minister opposed the motion and the house rejected it.