On the 5th day of general debate on the budget (2015-16) in Sindh Assembly, legislators belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Saturday accused each other of indulging in corrupt practices. Participating in the discussion, PML-F's Shaharyar Khan Mahar observed that sanitary condition has worsened in cities and towns despite sufficient allocations made for the local government department. "Nobody is working," he said, adding that "all the funds are going into drain because of corruption," he added.
He alleged that the TMOs were bearing expenses of ministers and they are dispatching the money to their homes. His allegation triggered unrest in the house and caused many ministers to stand up in protest. Defending Sindh Rangers' corruption charges against the PPP government, Mahar said: "Rangers' charges are not wrong." He told the ruling PPP to call an all parties conference and take the opposition into confidence over the charges that Rangers were overstepping authority and assured complete support in this regard.
He, however, said the PPP government will have to prove that it was not involved in corruption and the Rangers' allegations were baseless. "As long as corruption continues, Sindh will not get better," he added. Getting infuriated over Mahar's charges of corruption, Sindh Senior Minister for Education Nisar Khuhro asked the former to name the corrupt ministers or officials in the house or stop using the floor for levelling baseless allegations against his party and the government. A chaotic scene was witnessed in the house on this occasion.
Sindh Anti-Corruption Minister Manzoor Wasan in his hard-hitting speech said that Rangers should also investigate into corruption charges against previous government of PML-F. The members of the opposition party continued to disturb his speech, creating a noise scene in the house. He said that though a conspiracy was being hatched to destabilise the PPP government in Sindh, his party would continue to rule the province unshakably. "We are going nowhere. We are here and will do accountability jointly with institutions as we say that corruption must come to an end".
He urged the Rangers to probe against PML-F's former government and the investigation should start from 2002. Accusing the PML-F of extorting money from different gas fields of the province, he alleged: "The party (PML-F) was extorting Rs 5 million from Sawan gas field, Rs 5m from Qadirpur gas field and Rs 2.5m from Dajal gas field each month to disturb peace in Karachi."
His allegations triggered protest from PML-F's legislators Dr Rafiq Banbhan and Nusrat Sehar Abbasi. Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon warned that they would not let any lawmaker to speak in the house if speeches of their party members were disturbed. Manzoor Wasan also criticised former military ruler Zia-ul-Haq for his politics in Sindh. He also levelled scores of charges against the PML-F.
Khair-un-Nisa Mughal of PPP lauded the next fiscal year budget of the province, saying that Sindh government has presented a best budget despite having financial crunch. Dr Zafar Kamali of MQM urged the government to establish an export processing zone for red chillies and mangoes in Mirpurkhas. MQM's Muhammad Dilawar Qureshi said that non-development expenditures in Sindh's next fiscal year budget amounted to 64 per cent which he said should be curtailed by 50pc in the next three years to equate with the development allocations.
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