KARACHI: MQM Thursday rattled the Sindh Assembly with an outcry over continuing injustices against the religious minorities in the province, saying that non-Muslim innocent girls are kidnapped unnoticed.

Mangla Sharma of MQM questioned the government's writ to protect the non-Muslims from "permanent injustices" they continue to suffer in the society.

The legislature resumed its debate on budget 2023-24 with Sharma's outcry over the kidnapping of girls from the religious minorities. Families of the kidnapped girls suffer the most with without being noticed, she said.

"Vandals of May 9 mayhem were arrested immediately, but those looting Karachi are free," she said and added that the budget proposes big uplift projects but the government completes them rarely.

She also asked the government to bind the private school administrations not to change syllabus at least before three years. She said that the stationary, which private schools provides to kids are much expensive from the retails market.

GDA's Dr Muhammad Rafiq Banbhan questioned the government's claim of agriculture sector growth, saying that cotton seeds are unavailable to farmers despite the PPP rule for 15 years.

He also said that the water crisis has become "worst" as farmers are not getting waters to irrigate their crops.

Dr Lal Chand Ukrani of the PPP rejected the opposition criticism over injustices to the religious minorities, saying that his party government has always given "importance" to them.

However, he acknowledged that abduction of Hindu girls continues in Sindh and a comprehensive policy is needed to stop such incidents. He claimed the budget has done a "good" job for religious minorities.

MQM's Sanjay Parwani questioned a budgetary funds of Rs50 million to the Hindu Council, saying that the government should inform the house about the allocation.

He told the government to run its education department's schools through its resources and shun from the adoptive culture. He said that a huge number of government-run schools are not providing books to kids.

He also expressed concern over absence of security at churches and temples, saying that a surveillance system had to be installed but could not happen.

Regarding, Karachi, he said that the city strives for electricity and water. "It seems Karachi has become the city of darkness," he said and slammed the government for not being able to run the existing schools and proposing to found new one.

Jam Shabbir Ali Khan of the PPP called the fiscal budget 2023-24 "balanced", saying that the government has not placed a new tax. He demanded for the NICVD facility in Sanghar District.

MQM''s Muhammad Abbas Jafari asked the Sindh government to help increase the salaries for the private sector employee, since every citizen in Karachi is not holding a state job.

Karachi always suffered from lack of mega projects in budgets, he said that the city is faced with growing disorder that claimed public lives. Karachi even could not see a safe city project to take place, he added.

He demanded of the government not to renew the K-Electric license, blaming the private electricity supplier of over billings to fleece the consumers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023