Sindh Chief Minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim said in Sindh Assembly sans opposition on Saturday that he would not let a criminal roam scot-free and terrorise the people to gain political mileage. He was speaking after the wind-up speech of Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed on Budget 2005-06. The opposition had boycotted Rahim's speech to protest against the arrest of Zahid Bhurgari, which they alleged was political victimisation. Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussein Shah was in the chair.
It was at about 5:30 pm when the finance minister concluded his speech on the budget and the chief minister took the rostrum to give his concluding remarks.
Leader of the Opposition, Nisar Khuhro contended that Bhurgari had been arrested as a result of political victimisation campaign launched by the chief minister to punish his opponents and demanded of Rahim to order his release.
The opposition members said they would prefer to boycott the chief minister's speech than to listen to "his meaningless words."
After the members of the opposition left the house, calm prevailed and there was no one to raise any objections on the observations/ remarks of the chief minister against the leaders that are "on self exile."
Rahim said that the budget proposals were people-friendly and would bring relief to the people of the province.
He said that the government was committed to its stand on the NFC and would not accept anything less than the actual share of the province.
The chief minister said there was complete financial discipline in the province and all development works were progressing well.
Rahim said the government was cognisant of its weaknesses and would try to improve on that and come up to the expectations of the people.
He did not go line by line on allocations but mentioned improvement in the health and education sectors and said that he would like more investment in these two sectors.
The chief minister referred to a hospital in Ghotki and said it was a model hospital and he would like it to expand. "It is in the public sector," he added. He said that in his government there was no shelter for the criminals and their protectors. "We want a peaceful and safe province for the people of Sindh,"
Zahid Bhurgari has been arrested on the charges of terrorism, Rahim said, adding he would have to face the court and law of the land.
The chief minister said that the opposition members should have sit and listened to his speech and participated in the democratic procedure and strengthened the parliamentary democracy.
"But they always runaway when it comes to tolerate differing political beliefs."
Rahim referred to corruption during the period PPP was in power and said that they simply looted the country and fled leaving behind the ignorant and the poor followers of the party to fight for them.
He said he was clean and his team of ministers was also clean. "I would not run from the country when out of power." When you are in power charge me of corruption and try your luck, the chief minister challenged the opposition.
Rahim said, "Prove me corrupt and I would resign."
He said he welcomed constructive criticism. "We are clear on issues. They (opposition) have different policies on the same issue. They have a one stance on Kalabagh Dam in the Punjab and NWFP and the other in Sindh. They did not have the courage to criticise Ghulam Mustafa Khar when he being a PPP man vehemently supported KB dam issue when PPP had its leader as prime minister."
Without naming Asif Ali Zardari, Rahim said that he came out of jail on the condition that he would support KB dam and other issues that had widened political gap between the government and the PPP but after coming out he found himself in a different position and opted to leave for Dubai. He said that Zardari's illness in Dubai had a different connotation.
The chief minister said that the opposition had double standards and behaved differently in different situation on same issues. He said that in upcoming local bodies' and in 2007 general elections "we will prove our strength and show you (opposition) your position."
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