KARACHI: The dominant treasury voted out an opposition’s resolution calling for the immediate conduct of students unions’ elections in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan during the Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday.
Before blocking the resolution, the treasury, which PPP dominates overwhelming, contested the opposition demand, saying that the process of addressing this matter is already underway.
On the private members day, provincial legislator of Jamaat-e-Islami, Muhammad Farooq presented a resolution, seeking holding of student’s unions’ elections in all universities of the province. Farooq emphasized that holding unions’ polls is a constitutional and democratic right of the students. He urged the assembly to ensure the prompt organization of such elections.
However, Sindh’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar rejected the move, saying that the government is already resolving the issue. “The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) strongly believes in the importance of student unions, and this commitment is enshrined in our manifesto. Work on this matter is ongoing,” he said.
The minister further argued that the resolution is unnecessary as the Sindh government had already lifted the ban on student unions. “This issue is being dealt with and there is no need for an additional resolution,” he added.
Showing disappointment after the assembly rejected the resolution by a majority vote, Muhammad Farooq criticized the Sindh government for failing to hold students unions elections even three years after legislation was passed to lift the ban. He accused the government of continuing to support a ban initially imposed by authoritarian regimes, calling it a “shameful” stance for a party that claims to uphold democratic values.
In contrast, the assembly voted to pass a resolution tabled by PPP’s lady lawmaker, Heer Ismail Soho, demanding of the federal government to prioritize funding for development projects in Sindh. The resolution specifically called for the swift completion of ongoing schemes, including all highways linked to the M-9 Motorway.
In support of the resolution, Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar criticized the substandard condition of the existing motorway in Sindh and revealed that chief minister Sindh has already written to the federal government regarding this matter. “The Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway is a critical need of the hour,” he said. He told the assembly that the challenges faced by Sindh due to insufficient federal funding. “This resolution should be passed to show the federation what is happening with Sindh. Critics claim no work is being done in Sindh, but they fail to acknowledge the lack of federal funding,” he remarked.
The minister also highlighted the growing difficulties in travel due to inflation. “Air and rail travel have become less feasible for many people, and road travel from Karachi to Sukkur is nearly impossible,” he added.
Heer Soho informed the house that the Sindh chief minister has formally written a letter to the federal government on January 13, demanding for an urgent attention to these projects. She highlighted disparities in federal development schemes, noting that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 33 projects and Balochistan 22, while Sindh was allocated only six.
PPP’s senior legislator, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro raised further concerns, questioning why the M-9 Motorway is not included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “We have grown tired of hearing about the Karachi Circular Railway. Why is the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway still not built? Every year, floods and rains submerge villages and cities, and no action is taken,” he lamented. He also criticized delays in the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) project, which has been pending since 2002 and whose cost has now ballooned to Rs64 billion. “Sindh is the province that laid the foundation of Pakistan,” Khuhro said, underscoring the need for federal attention to Sindh’s development.
The assembly unanimously passed the resolution, which includes the demand for the immediate construction of the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway. Following the approval, the session was adjourned until Friday morning at 10 am.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025