Financial priorities and governance record: Treasury, opposition exchange harsh words

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Friday opened general debate on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27, with lawmakers from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and the Opposition exchanging harsh words over the province’s financial priorities and governance record.

The session was presided over by Speaker Awais Qadir Shah. MQM-Pakistan members continued their protest inside the House, carrying placards bearing slogans against the budget.

Opening the debate, PPP’s Dr Sohrab Khan Sarki said the Sindh government was carrying out development work across the province, with education receiving the highest priority. He noted that more than 74,000 teachers had been recruited on merit. PPP’s Tanzila Um Habiba praised the budget as pro-people but stressed that population control was essential for any lasting solution to public problems. She said one million people had received homes under a housing scheme announced by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Syed Ejaz Shah of the PPP called the budget excellent given the difficult economic environment and highlighted the construction of Shahrah-e-Bhutto as a major achievement, while requesting urgent funds for the district hospital in Tando Muhammad Khan. PPP’s Syed Hassan Ali Shah acknowledged that the budget contained no new schemes but said Karachi had been given significant attention through public-private partnership projects.

PPP’s Shazia Karim criticised the Opposition’s boycott, saying it amounted to political point-scoring rather than genuine concern for Karachi. She also raised the issue of Sindh’s severe water shortage, commending Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro for effectively arguing Sindh’s case in Islamabad. Yasmeen Shah of PPP called for reducing the agricultural income tax rate from 43 percent to 20 percent and demanded the release of allocated funds for Badin district along with the establishment of a college there under IBA Sukkur.

PPP’s Saima Agha congratulated the Chief Minister on presenting what she described as a tax-free, people-friendly budget and said the party remained committed to serving all of Sindh without discrimination. Roma Mushtaq Matto and Arooba Rashid also praised the budget and defended the government’s record in Karachi. Muhammad Asif Khan highlighted development work in Keamari, including completion of a bridge at the Native Jetty and a dispensary in Sultanabad, and requested land for a graveyard in his constituency.

Sarfaraz Shah raised concerns about the water crisis and called for facilities at the district hospital in Naushahro Feroze. Mahmood Alam Shah Jamot noted that Rs1.2 billion had been set aside to install trackers on fishing boats.

Bahadar Dahari praised the Chief Minister’s financial management but pointed to a shortage of doctors, including at the trauma centre planned for Daulatpur. Ruksana Shah urged the federal government to release Sindh’s share of water under the 1991 accord, saying livestock were dying of thirst. Muhammad Halipota called for completion of development projects in Matiari and a solution to the waterlogging problem in Badin. Farooq Awan expressed confidence that his party and Chief Minister would continue presenting budgets for the next 13 years. Mir Mahboob Bajrani called for fair prices and better facilities for farmers.

MQM-P’s Shariq Jamal said the people of Sindh were mired in serious problems that the provincial government showed little will to resolve. He said the province had received Rs71,000 billion over the past 18 years yet public problems persisted, adding that poor governance had made Karachi the third worst city in the world. He said his party did not recognise the budget and therefore did not wish to debate it.

Muhammad Aamir Siddiqui of MQM-P said Karachi, as the country’s largest tax-contributing city, had been excluded from budget consultations and its MPAs’ development schemes had not been included in the budget. He questioned whether the Rs551 billion education allocation was being spent only on salaries and demanded that the Karachi mayor be given Rs200 billion for city development. Syed Adil Askari of MQM-P alleged corruption in the construction of Shahrah-e-Bhutto, which he said cost Rs55 billion under a public-private arrangement, and called the seven percent salary increase for government employees inadequate.

Qurat Ul Ain Khan of the MQM-P said the Opposition had been allocated a “zero” in the budget, with last year’s promise of development schemes for Opposition members left unfulfilled. She said Karachi’s residents were receiving Rs10,000 K-Electric fines instead of their rights. Nasir Hussain Qureshi of MQM-P complained about the poor condition of Civil Hospital Hyderabad and said the Bhuttabad area had been without water for four months. Sheikh Abdullah of MQM-P called for a code of conduct to prevent inflammatory speeches inside the assembly and flagged that no government school in Surjani Town was in good condition, while a promised chest pain unit for his constituency had not been delivered after two years.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026