KARACHI, June 18: The Sindh Assembly, which meets on Thursday after a two-day recess, will take up general discussion on the budget statement for financial the year 2008-09.
The session, which is scheduled for 9.30 am, will be presided over by Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro. Since there is no high profile member in the entire rank and file of the opposition, there is little chance of a lively general discussion on the budget.
However, Jam Madad Ali, parliamentary party leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-F, who was nominated by the joint opposition as their leader, appeared to have surprised treasury benches by calling into question the tall claims of the government about providing relief to the poor amidst what he termed as a flood of sky-rocketing prices of wheat flour, rice, pulses, cooking oil, and other essential items.
The total strength of the opposition in the House of 168 is 20 comprising eight members of PML-F, nine MPAs of PML-Q and three National People’s Party members. Out of 168, by-elections on three seats, vacated by Makhdoom Amin Fahim of the PPP, Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi of PML-F and the third which had fallen vacant due to the demise of Arbab Abdullah of PML-Q, are scheduled for June 26.
Out of nine MPAs of PML-Q, Ghalib Domki and Abid Sundrani from the very start have been backing the ruling coalition led by Pakistan People’s Party while, according to Jam Madad, he could not reach their female member MPA Nuzhat Pathan despite numerous attempts.
Another MPA of PML-Q, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who is former chief minister, is in Dubai. However, the ex-CM had endorsed his selection as leader of the opposition, Jam Madad said.
Other members of the PML-Q are Shahryar Khan Mehar, Arbab Zulfiqar Ali, Razzaq Rahimoon, Shah Hussain Shirazi, and Dr Sajeela Leghari.
Besides Jam Madad Ali, other PML -F MPAs are Sardar Rahim Bux Bozdar, Muhammad Rafique Bhan, Ali Ghulam Nizamani, Rana Abdul Sattar Rajput, Qazi Shamsuddin Rajar, Marvi Rashdi and Nusrat Bano Sehar.
In reply to a question, he said that he had submitted in writing to the speaker with signatures of PML-F and PML-Q members of the parliamentary parties to allot him the seat reserved for the leader of the opposition and also to notify him as leader of the opposition.
Likewise, the three MPAs of National People’s Party had also given in writing to the speaker asking him to allot them seats with the opposition benches and they endorsed Jam Madad Ali as the leader of the opposition.
The signatories to the application are Arif Mustafa Jatoi, Masroor Ahmad Jatoi and Abid Hussain Jatoi.
According to the schedule, a general discussion on the budget statement for the financial year 2008-09 as a whole and on supplementary budget will be held on Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The House would take up discussion on the charged expenditure and discussion and voting on demand for grants on the supplementary budget statement on Thursday to be followed by laying of the schedule of authorised supplementary expenditure for the year 2007-08 and discussion and voting on demand for grants for the year 2008-09 on Friday.
On Saturday a schedule of authorised expenditure for the year 2008-09 would be taken up which will be followed by consideration of the Sindh Finance Bill, 2008.