KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday saw a ruckus, as the PTI lawmakers accused the ruling PPP of rigging the recent local government elections in the megacity.

At the start of the session, Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Sheikh felicitated the central leadership of the ruling PPP for its landslide victory in the remaining local government polls held last Sunday.

His remarks provoked the PTI legislators, who alleged the ruling PPP for “buying people’s “conscience” and rigging the polls. Imtiaz Sheikh said the PTI cannot compete with the PPP’s motives of public service with “vociferation”.

PTI’s legislator Khurram Sher Zaman Khan alleged the ruling PPP for “corruption” in Sindh and rigging the polls, which also stirred up a protest by the treasury members.

Deputy Speaker, Rehana Leghari warned Khurram over his remarks and asked him to shun political speech in the house, else, “reply will come from other side”.

Khuram also blamed the deputy speaker for being a “party” and having supportive to the treasury. He asserted that no matter how much power the PPP could exert, the city mayor will eventually get elected, whom his party chooses.

During the questions and answers session about the Sindh Energy Department, Imtiaz Sheikh replied that the Sindh government is resolved to help provide low priced electricity to the public.

He told the house that his government has sought the federal support for making an inexpensive power through coal, seeking a construction of railways in Thar to meet the plan.

He said that the Sindh government is also working with the World Bank on different projects to bring out the country from the energy crisis.

With the dollar rate growing against the rupee, he said that the Sindh government has increased subsidy on solar panels, he said that a solar based electricity generation project will complete by 2024.

At present, he said that the PPP government is providing 200, 000 households with the solar power, adding that the all districts will be electrified in future from this sort of energy.

The Sindh is also providing each household in Islamkot with a free electricity up to 100 units, he informed the legislature, saying there is plan to electrify entire province in future.

All jails in Sindh, he said, will be electrified with solar power with the government buildings. He acknowledged that public in Sindh are faced with the natural gas outages.

On a call attention notice, Nand Kumar of the GDA asked the government regarding the progress of people rehabilitation in the flood hit areas. He said that the flood relief amount of Rs300000 per house announced by the government has not been provided to the victims.

Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mukesh Kumar Chawla replied that the PPP rule had pledged to rebuild two million houses for which accounts have been opened. Surveys have also been completed.

Those who lost crops in floods, he said, have been provided with Rs5000 per person relief. The government has supported the flood affectees a lot, he said and added that houses will be rebuild in the next three months.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023