A small batch of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) in the Sindh Assembly on Saturday opposed the proposals for legislation to tax agriculture income, saying that the government first has to introduce a crops insurance policy before any such move.
Muhammad Ali Malkani demanded of the provincial government to bring in also a policy to compensate the farmers for their crops devastation during the recent catastrophic floods. He also opposed the suggestion, recurrently coming during the budget debate from ruling coalition partner, MQM, to reduce crops support price particularly the one of Rs 950 for wheat yield, warning that such action would discourage the farmers, which could result in low production and trigger food price surge.
He urged the federal government to abolish 17 percent general sales tax on all agriculture products so that the farmers could meet soaring cost of cultivation and harvesting easily. He regretted that farmers were unduly subjected to criticism for food price surge or their shortage, saying that the middle men in the business were responsible for rates fluctuations. He demanded of the government to introduce a mechanism to check their activities and commodities supply chain. He said those who proposed tax on agriculture income had been oblivious to the problems of agriculture sector, as there is no financial security to farmers against crops damage. He said the government should first declare the agriculture sector as industry, provide all basic supports, and then plan to tax its income.
He said that DAP and urea prices had doubled during last two years and farmers were not getting due share of income from crops. He said that water shortage for irrigation had badly scaled down the cotton production. The government should appoint efficient police officers to control violence in the province, Malkani demanded. Pakistan Muslim League (F) member Marvi Rashdi termed Sindh's budget as "sugar-coated" and expressed worries about the unclear GST status, saying whether it was still a federal subject.
She blamed the government for backdoor deal with the federal government to hand over it "four-five" departments, which were primarily provincial subject. She lamented that the government had forsaken its revenue earning important departments including banking, stock exchange, insurance given to the federal government against Sindh's vital interests. She said the Sindh government had only charged excise duty for six days on Nato containers at Karachi seaports and subsequently the federal government took over the collection powers of the tax. She said it was a negative move of the central government against the province's financial interests.
She voiced concerns over poor law and order situation in the province with a close reference to the Karachi's continued unrest, saying that about 20 top industrialists had quit Karachi and shifted their manufacturing units to Faisalabad (Punjab province) for lack of security.
She demanded of the government to bring the former Sindh Home Minister, Zulfiqar Mirza, back to his department to control the upward violence trend the city. But, she wanted to know that the government itself was also demanding for his return to the previous charge?
She said: "The Sindh's education department is illiterate, health department is ill, and anti-corruption department is corrupt," and added that police department's performance was unsatisfactory.
She urged the provincial authorities to take action on sales and purchase of counterfeit medicines in the province, besides proposing a clampdown on quack doctors. She proposed that the government should present the fiscal budget next year either in Urdu or Sindhi languages so that the common men could have a clear understanding of what basically budget was all about.
Rashdi said the Sindh Education Minister had brought shame to the whole province, accusing him of watching a dance video which a private TV news channel had shown. Sindh Education Minister Mazhar-ul-Haq promptly reacted to her remarks, saying tat it was unfortunate for him to be part of a provincial legislative body where "rude and child" were seated. He said he was not present in the house when Rashdi raised blames against him.
His remarks triggered anger by opposition leader of PML-F Madad Ali who warned that Mazhar's hard-toned words could disturb the smooth proceedings of the house. However, Speaker Nisar Khohro controlled the short-lived uproar in the house and asked all members from either side to settle down.
Earlier, Sindh Minister for Antiquity, Jamil-uz-Zaman, alleged that federal bureaucracy was sabotaging the government's continued conciliatory policies. He said Council of Common Interests (CCI) was sketching a plan to allocate water from Sindh's share to Islamabad, saying: "We don't have a drop of water for our use; how could we spare big amount for others?" He demanded that CCI should drop its proposal of cut in the Sindh's share of irrigation water. He also wanted the federal government to declare the Sindhi as national language. Later, Nisar Khohro adjourned the session till Monday morning.