PPP threatens budget session boycott, again
In a familiar turn of events, the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) - a key ally of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) - strongly objected to the federal budget on Monday, accusing the government of discriminating against Sindh and threatening a potential boycott of the budget approval process.
The criticism has come during the budget season when internal tensions between the coalition partners annually surface before they are settled, at least till now. Last year, a similar standoff between PPPP and PMLN had emerged, which the main opposition party had dubbed a "fixed fight" aimed at deflecting attention from public scrutiny.
Seeing both PPPP and PMLN at odds once again, sources said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has offered PPPP its support in blocking the budget if it was serious. Sources said that PTI's senior leader Asad Qaiser met PPPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf at Parliament House and proposed that if PPPP was serious about boycotting the vote, the opposition party was ready to coordinate efforts.
Hoping to create a schism between the ruling party and its key ally, Qaiser reportedly said that a joint stance could increase pressure on the government. However, Ashraf reportedly assured Qaiser that the offer would be conveyed to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is expected to join parliamentary proceedings soon.
Addressing journalists earlier, PPPP central spokesperson Shazia Atta Marri described the 2025-26 federal budget as a "dangerous game" being played with Sindh. She alleged that federal projects under the Public Works Department (PWD) meant for Sindh have been transferred to the federal housing ministry rather than being handed over to the provincial government, unlike similar projects in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Marri alleged that transferring PWD's urban development projects to the federal ministry was a violation of provincial autonomy. "It seems they believe Sindh is not capable of managing its own schemes, while other provinces are considered competent," she said.
Emphasizing if Sindh's development projects are not handed over to the province, she said, PPP will not hesitate to take extreme measures – possibly withdrawing support to the federal government. She revealed that PPP initially refrained from giving a strong reaction as talks with the ruling party were ongoing and there was hope that Sindh's PSDP allocations and federal commitments would be honored.
However, she said, it was now clear that not only Sindh but also Punjab, particularly central Punjab and the Seraiki belt, have been neglected in the budget. She also criticized reduced funding for Sindh's universities, calling the allocation of Rs2.5 billion instead of the expected Rs4.8 billion unacceptable.
On energy, Marri pointed out a contradiction in government policy, questioning the rationale of imposing an 18% tax on solar panels while terming solar energy a national priority. Citing further discrepancies, Marri noted that just Rs15 billion funds have been allocated for the Sukkur Motorway in the budget, when its total cost of the project is Rs400 billion.
She also claimed that PPPP lawmakers in Punjab were sidelined in PSDP allocations and that the Seraiki belt was largely ignored. She concluded by saying the party's final decision, including any potential boycott, would be made in consultation with PPP chairman and that objections will be raised across all relevant forums before the PMLN government. "We are pursuing a firm strategy. If the government fails to listen, our response will be equally firm," she warned.
Last year, PMLN and PPPP also had face-off as main ally of PML-N government had only a token participation in the National Assembly's budget session after the ruling party didn't bother to address PPPP's reservations about budget.
"The PML-N has violated the agreement that it reached with PPPP before forming the government in the Center as it has not taken any input from its key ally in the PSDP budget," Marri had shared with The Express Tribune last year, "the government is taking us for granted."
Subsequently, PPP had linked its support for the budget and other issues to receiving more share of power in Punjab after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal. In addition to receiving "more space" in Punjab and its set-up, it had emerged that the PPP sought additional development budget for its lawmakers in the province.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to enhance tech collaboration
Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja: PHOTO: APP Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja held a high-level meeting with Saudi Minister for Communications and Information Technology Engineer Abdullah Al-Swaha to enhance collaboration in emerging technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure. The two sides discussed the establishment of the Pakistan Digital Corridor to China and Central Asia to strengthen global connectivity. They emphasised the need for cooperation in AI and computing technologies, reaffirming their commitment to strategic partnerships. Shaza Fatima highlighted a Rs4.8 billion project approved under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to train over 7,000 Pakistani youth in semiconductor technologies. She reiterated Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia's National Semiconductor Hub, expressing confidence in the kingdom's leadership in the tech domain. Discussions also covered collaboration under Saudi Arabia's National Technology Development Programme and ways to foster partnerships between Pakistani and Saudi companies. Shaza Fatima outlined Pakistan's cybersecurity successes and the strong role played by its armed forces in recent geopolitical developments. She reaffirmed that Pakistan remains a committed partner in Saudi Arabia's growth and success.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Low-cost housing projects hit dead end
Even after the passage of 12 years, residential projects introduced by the Sindh government for providing decent housing to the low-income segments of Karachi remain hanging in uncertainty. Amidst complex bureaucratic hurdles and shifting priorities of the government, many deserving families can imagine comfortable living in their dreams only. In the financial year 2008-09, a low-cost housing project was initiated under the management of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Housing Cell. As part of this project, low-cost houses were to be constructed in different districts of the province. According to officials of the housing cell, 18,700 low-cost houses have been constructed in three phases, Under this scheme, 6,000 houses were to be constructed in Karachi, but not a single house has been built there to date. After this, during the same tenure of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the Sindh government had announced another project under which 50,000 poor families of the province, including Karachi, were to be given free plots totaling 120 square yards in area size. However, so far, only 27,000 plots have been given to the deserving families across Sindh. The project was also supposed to accommodate families of PPP workers martyred during the bomb blast in October 2007. The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Town was built at the Hawks Bay area of Karachi, where 18,000 plots of 120 square yards were given to impoverished families including the relatives of the martyred PPP workers and local journalists. Due to lack of necessary development and other problems, most of the allottees could not build their houses and were forced to sell their plots at cheap prices due to poverty. Many others however, remained deprived of their promised land, due to the outdated system of government offices. A PPP worker from Lyari, on the condition of anonymity, revealed that when the project had started, they had made several rounds of the respective offices, but each time they were told that the paperwork had not yet started. Similarly, another PPP worker from Lyari, shared that even though he was given a plot under the scheme, he did not have money to construct a house. "I could not afford to build a house therefore, I sold my plot for Rs100,000 a few years ago," said the allottee. When contacted by the Express Tribune, Irfan Abro, in-charge of the project, confirmed that very few people had constructed houses in the Shaheed Benazir Town Karachi. "Hence, we have informed all plot holders through an advertisement this month that they should submit the layout plan of their plots as soon as possible. Allotments will be cancelled for those who do not submit their layout plans and fail to start construction work," said Abro. Anis Qadir Mangi, Director of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Housing Cell, told The Express Tribune that 6,000 houses were to be constructed in Karachi under the project. "I have submitted a proposal to the Sindh Finance Department in this regard," said Mangi.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Govt basks in two-thirds glory
Listen to article Finally, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday emerged as the single largest party, with the party and its allies simultaneously securing two-thirds majority in the National Assembly after the Supreme Court allotted reserved seats to the ruling coalition. The current parliamentary as well as political equation in the country changed after the top court turned down the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-turned Sunni-Ittehad Council (SIC)'s request for the allotment of the reserved seats after hearing a review petition. On July 12, 2024, the Supreme Court had declared PTI a parliamentary party and held that PTI was eligible to get reserved seats that were earlier distributing among other parties in the national and other assemblies by the Election Commission of Pakistan. However, the SC ruling in the review petitions has now reversed the same. At the moment, the total number of seats of the ruling alliance stands at 237, including 125 of the PML-N, 74 of PPPP, 22 of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), five of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), four of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), one each of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), National Party (NP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia PML-Z) and four independents. On the contrary, the opposition alliance has total 99 seats, including 80 of SIC & independents – primarily PTI – 11 of the Jamiat-e-Ulmae-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) and one each of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM). After the results of the Senate elections in April 2024, the PMLN-led ruling alliance has a dominating position in the upper house of the parliament with 61 seats, including independents, as opposed to the opposition parties' 24 seats. The majority of the coalition government has put it in a commanding position in both the National Assembly and Senate as it can now even go for constitutional amendments without facing any hindrance from the opposition parties in both the houses. For any government to obtain a two-thirds majority in the 336-member National Assembly, the backing of 224 lawmakers is required. Previously, when the government had fell short of passing the 26th constitutional amendment, it had managed to win support from an opposition party JUI-F. Now, the ruling alliance won't need support from the opposition benches to pass any constitutional amendment, which requires two-third votes from the Parliament. The reserved seats had also led to a face-off between the Parliament and the Supreme Court as Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, had written a letter to the ECP, urging it to respect parliamentary sovereignty in the allocation of reserved seats to PTI. The letter had come after the SC had ruled that independent candidates, after winning elections, could join political parties and alter their political allegiance followed up by a note released by eight SC judges directing ECP to implement the judgment at the earliest. Through his letter, the Speaker had pointed out that Parliament passed an amendment to the election law, saying it prohibited independent candidates who join a party post-election from switching their affiliation. He had emphasized the amendments to the elections act must be applied when the ECP allocates contested seats, highlighting that the SC judgment was rendered before the new law was passed and thus become outdated in light of the legislative changes.
