• Opposition leader terms Sindh budget ‘manipulation of numbers’
• Minister Ghani says Karachi is not being ignored
• Karachi Shipyard to provide new gate for Sukkur Barrage by July 20, CM tells PA

KARACHI: Calling the budget document a “manipulation of numbers,” the opposition in the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday questioned the performance of the Pakistan Peoples Party government during the last 15 years, referring to the number of development projects that were made part of every annual financial planning and consumed funds every year but remained incomplete.

It also insisted on seeking reasons behind the budget proposals which “ignored” Kar­achi’s development projects.

Taking part in debate over the budget 2024-25, Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan came up with a list of those projects which were shown in the budget every financial year but none of them was completed despite passage of several years.

“It seems that the Sindh budget is prepared only for the consumption for the budget books. There’s nothing on ground. We have been witnessing the budget allocations and proposals for the number of same projects but they are still incomplete,” he said.

“Special Economic Zone of Dhabeji is going on from 2021 but after passing three years it hasn’t made any progress. The same goes for K-III, K-IV and BRT projects. Similarly, the announcements and allocations in budget for bridges and underpasses never meet a reality check,” he added.

He referred to BRT Orange Line which is still incomplete while the project of NED University Technology Park is facing the same fate since 2019. The Sindh CM in 2021 annou­nced Hub Canal project which still rema­ined a distant dream, he claimed and added that the PPP government “deli­b­erately delays the Karachi-specific projects” and then accused the opposition for only raising the issues of urban Sindh.

“You keep ignoring this city and its projects and then when we raise the issue, we are accused of only raising the issues of Karachi. Being elected representatives of this city, what should we do? Don’t we have the right to raise voice for our city,” asked Mr Khurshidi.

Earlier, Sindh Local Bodies Minister Saeed Ghani in his address dismissed the impression that Karachi was ignored in the budget estimates for the next fiscal. He then cited the funds in different heads which were set aside for the development of Karachi during 2024-25.

“Those who claim that Karachi has been neglected should read the budget document carefully,” he said.

Sukkur Barrage issue

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah informed the house about the necessary measures being taken to prepare for the potential floods. He said that over 4,000 metric tons of soil had been added for the construction of new gates at the Sukkur Barrage.

He hoped that the new gate of the Sukkur Barrage would be received from the Karachi Shipyard on July 20.

All the work related to the Sukkur Barrage gates had been completed within 72 hours and water was now being released from the Sukkur Barrage gradually, he said.

He recalled that a gate of Sukkur Barrage had collapsed earlier in December 1982.

‘74 bandits killed, 18 cops martyred in riverine area actions’

While briefing the house about the law and order in the province, Home Minister Zia Lanjar said that the police and Rangers were jointly conducting operation in the riverine area.

“In the last four months, 74 bandits have been killed, 116 injured and 394 dacoits have been arrested. Eighteen policemen were also martyred during the operation,” he said.

He said during recent operation of the law-enforcement agencies some 5,000 weapons were recovered from the bandits whose surveillance was conducted through drones with special focus on Sukkur, Ghotki, Kashmore and Shikarpur districts.

He also shared the plan to hire 400 prosecutors to strengthen the prosecution against the criminals and support the police investigation in the court of law. He also cited the rec­ently-inaugurated Sindh Smart Surv­eillance System (S4) project aimed at providing a comprehensive and integrated security solution for all major entry and exit points connecting all major cities in the province.

He said the system would enable effective monitoring of entry and exit points and ensure security through the integration of advanced technologies such as facial and number plate recognition at 40 toll plazas, including 18 in Karachi.

The project, he said, also aimed at enhancing security responses and seamlessly integrating with the existing command and control centre at the Central Police Office (CPO).

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2024