The Sindh Assembly continued its budget debate for a third day, with opposition members strongly criticizing the provincial government’s neglect of Karachi. They argued that this lack of attention has led to the deterioration of certain areas within the city.
During the session, 29 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties participated in the debate, bringing the total number of participants over the three days to 84.
Members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) defended the budget, characterizing it as a vital step towards Sindh’s development and the resolution of its citizens’ issues.
However, MQM-P’s Quratul Ain expressed disappointment that the budget offered no relief to Karachi residents burdened by persistent power outages and rising prices. She also pointed out the Sindh government’s failure to establish a medical college in Landhi despite years of promises.
Another MQM-P MPA, Engineer Usman, highlighted the lack of investment in Karachi’s civic infrastructure, despite the city’s significant contribution to provincial revenue through sales tax. He criticized the Sindh government for focusing on revenue collection while simultaneously directing Karachi residents to seek federal assistance for infrastructure development, including water supply systems.
Arsalan Pervez, also from MQM-P, described his constituency as lacking basic amenities like water supply and proper roads, resembling a neglected rural area. He emphasized the difficulty ambulances face in reaching emergencies due to the poor road network.
PTI’s Wajid Hussain lamented the chronic water shortages plaguing Karachi for two decades and raised concerns about the high number of out-of-school children and the unchecked sale of narcotics.
Aamir Siddiqui of MQM-P accused the PPP of ruining the public education system in Karachi and neglecting the city’s overall development. He also highlighted the hardships caused by delays in the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit project. He contrasted the substantial allocation for development in District Malir, a PPP stronghold, with the lack of equivalent investment in the East and Central districts.
Farhan Ansari (MQM-P) stated that residents of Gulishan-e-Iqbal were without electricity and water and called for road and streetlight repairs. He echoed the sentiment that the budget had largely ignored Karachi.
In response, Sindh Minister Riaz Shah Sheerazi informed the House that 122,000 impoverished individuals had been registered for Zakat payments, which would be deposited into Islamic banking accounts. He also announced a development scheme for the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine. Social Welfare Minister Tariq Talpur discussed plans for senior citizen protection programs and urged the federal government to reconsider the proposed sales tax on imported solar panels.
Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah detailed development projects aimed at transforming Gorakh Hill Station into a major tourist destination and announced initiatives to support young artists in Sindh, including sending them abroad for training. He also mentioned the construction of a residential colony for writers and poets. Lastly, PPP’s Qasim Siraj Soomro acknowledged that several reverse-osmosis water filtration plants in Tharparkar were out of service and required repairs.