Opposition rejects Sindh budget as Karachi civic crisis dominates Assembly debate

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly’s post-budget debate remained tense on its second day on Saturday, with opposition parties jointly rejecting the provincial budget for 2026-27 and focusing their criticism on Karachi’s worsening civic problems, particularly the prolonged water shortage and damaged road infrastructure.

Members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf assailed the provincial government’s handling of urban services in Karachi, while treasury lawmakers from the Pakistan Peoples Party defended the budget as a balanced financial plan prepared under difficult conditions. PPP members also linked the province’s water stress to reduced flows in the Indus River and urged the federal government to address the issue.

Treasury defends budget

Opening the debate, PPP lawmaker Noor Muhammad Bhurgari said the budget had been prepared in challenging circumstances and maintained that development activity had continued despite limited resources. He also called on the Centre to take notice of the serious water shortage in Sindh and sought urgent repairs to damaged canal bridges in Nawabshah, saying they had led to accidents.

PPP member Nida Khuhro defended the government’s performance, saying 900 projects had been completed despite the impact of floods and inflation, and pointing to allocations for major hospitals. While acknowledging the opposition’s right to criticise, she questioned what the MQM-P had accomplished during its own time in office.

Maleeha Manzoor of the PPP said Sindh was facing a 40 per cent water shortage and appealed against depriving the province of its share. Another treasury member, Yousuf Baloch, described the budget as people-friendly and praised initiatives including the Pink Bus and Pink Scooty schemes for women. He also claimed that narcotics in Lyari had been reduced by 60pc and said Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had given Rs25bn in projects to the area.

Opposition attacks allocations and services

Opposition lawmakers presented a sharply different account, arguing that the budget offered little for Karachi and did not provide relief to ordinary residents. MQM-P lawmaker Bilqees Mukhtar said the city had been reduced to ruin amid severe water shortages and broken roads. She said opposition members had not received development funds for their constituencies, while treasury lawmakers were given Rs500 million each.

"We don’t accept a government or democracy that doesn’t benefit the common man," she said, speaking during the debate.

PTI member Rehan Bandukra criticised the government over health and nutrition conditions for women and said 50pc of newborns in the province were stunted because of malnutrition. He said Karachi had reached a critical stage because of the absence of basic civic amenities.

MQM-P’s Dr Fauzia Hameed said city residents were chasing water tankers while also dealing with shortages of electricity and gas. She argued that the budget had failed to provide public relief and said Karachi, despite contributing 95pc of revenue, had been allocated only Rs100bn. She also questioned the standard of public healthcare, asking why government figures sought treatment at private hospitals if state-run facilities were adequate.

MQM-P lawmaker Kiran Masood said Karachi was the country’s breadwinner, but schools in the city were missing basic facilities including washrooms, tap water, laboratories, chowkidars and peons. She also raised concerns about law and order, saying her own vehicle had recently been snatched.

PTI member Sajid Mir also rejected the budget and said Karachi’s residents were asking where the trillions had gone.