Tempers flare as the budget battle drags on in SA

KARACHI:

The Sindh Assembly on Saturday continued its sixth day of general debate on the provincial budget for the coming financial year, with senior parliamentarians from both the government and the opposition engaged in a charged and often heated discussion.

Members of the provincial cabinet defended the government’s performance and claimed that record development projects have been completed under Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rule.

However, opposition members rejected these claims, claiming that public hardships had increased during the PPP’s 18-year rule. They urged the government to abandon confrontation and adopt a culture of dialogue in the wider interest of the province.

Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the government was continuing its development agenda and expected stronger electoral support in the next elections. He said hundreds of schemes had been implemented with improvements in parks, roads and city services.

He said the solid waste management system had improved, with 15,000 tonnes of waste being lifted daily, adding that carbon credit benefits were expected from ongoing reforms.

Meanwhile, opposition members strongly criticized the provincial government, rejecting claims of record development and arguing that public hardships have increased over the past 18 years of PPP rule.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, opposition lawmakers said the government’s narrative of progress did not reflect the reality on the ground and urged the Treasury to move away from confrontation and adopt a policy of dialogue in the wider interest of the province.

Opposition members said repeated claims of improving education, health and infrastructure were not backed by visible results for ordinary citizens. They called for greater transparency in development spending and urged the government to focus on measurable improvements in public services.

The Sindh Assembly session was later adjourned till 10 on Sundays.