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Business Recorder
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan strives for regional peace, whereas Modi's policies threaten stability: PPP leader
LARKANA: President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has called upon the international community to demand India revoke its unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, terming the International Court of Arbitration's verdict against the suspension a diplomatic triumph for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and an endorsement of Pakistan's stance. He warned that if India continues to disregard international laws on water-sharing, it will face severe consequences on the water front. Khuhro expressed these views while addressing the media during a mourning assembly (Majlis-e-Aza) near Aaqil, Larkana on Saturday. He stated that India has no legal or constitutional authority to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, as the 1960 treaty grants Pakistan control over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India controls the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. The treaty contains no provision for unilateral suspension, and both parties are bound to adhere to it. He asserted that if India refuses to recognize Pakistan's rights over the three rivers under international law and continues constructing dams to block Pakistan's water supply, it will lead to conflict over water, which is Pakistan's lifeline. Khuhro warned that if India attempts water terrorism by diverting river flows, it will face defeat on the water front just as it has on other fronts. He praised Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for effectively raising the issue globally, exposing India's unconstitutional suspension of the treaty. The international community and the Court of Arbitration have recognized Pakistan's stance as legally sound, declaring India's move unlawful—a victory for Bilawal's diplomatic efforts. He emphasized that Pakistan seeks regional peace, whereas Modi's policies threaten stability. India is now trying to undermine the arbitration court's role, but these efforts will fail. The court's verdict is a triumph for justice, law, and regional peace. Khuhro urged the global community to compel India to comply with international law and revoke its suspension of the treaty. He warned that Pakistan will not tolerate India using water as a weapon. He also demanded the federal government ensure full implementation of the 1991 Water Accord, releasing at least 10 million acre-feet downstream Kotri to prevent environmental and agricultural damage.
Express Tribune
27-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
SESSI asked to expand registration of workers
Sindh Assembly Public Accounts Committee Chairman Nisar Khuhro has said that since its inception, the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) has not undergone an audit. SESSI informed the PAC that its governing body had decided against conducting an audit, but Khuhro questioned whether SESSI considers itself above the constitution, refusing to undergo an audit. He stressed that SESSI is not exempted from audits and therefore ordered an audit of the institution. Khuhro, the president of the Sindh chapter of PPP, expressed these views while addressing a ceremony to mark the 72nd birth anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, organised by the People's Labour Bureau at the SESSI headquarters on Thursday. Provincial Labour Minister Shahid Abdul Salam was also present on the occasion. Nisar Khuhro pointed out that SESSI's medical supplies worth Rs8 billion are not being audited. He questioned the functioning of hospitals under the institution despite the large amount of funds allocated for medicines. He stressed that an audit of the Rs8 billion allocation is essential to determine the proper utilisation of funds and the functioning of hospital equipment. The SESSI informed that out of the Rs13 billion funds, 70 per cent were spent on healthcare services, including medicines for hospitals, and 30 per cent on SECCI's directorate. Khuhro suggested that the Labour Department should focus on ensuring the provision of medicines to workers through SESSI hospitals. He pointed out that out of 670,000 industrial units, only 240,000 are registered with SESSI, whereas the actual number of workers is around six million. Khuhro said, non-registration of industrial units and their workers is a major weakness of the welfare institution. He suggested that the Labour Department should take steps to register workers, including those working in shops. He pointed out that the minimum wage of Rs37,000 for workers in the private sector is not being implemented. If the minimum wage of Rs37,000 is not being enforced, then how can the implementation of a higher wage of Rs42,000 be expected? Therefore, the Labour Department should ensure the implementation of the Sindh government's minimum wage policy for workers in both public and private sectors.
Business Recorder
21-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Sindh Assembly: heated debate on budget continues
KARACHI: Heated and emotional speeches marked the fifth consecutive day of budget deliberations in the Sindh Assembly on Friday, as treasury slammed the federal government for slashing Sindh's share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) by Rs100 billion. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers raised alarm bells over potential misuse of budget funds and deteriorating living standards for the poor. The session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed, began with sparse attendance of only seven members but the number increased as proceedings progressed. Several provincial ministers joined the debate, presenting departmental reviews and outlining upcoming development initiatives for fiscal year 2025–26. Speaking from the treasury benches, senior PPP leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro revealed that acting Governor Owais Qadir Shah had been barred from entering the Governor's House. 'The Governor House is being treated like private property,' Khuhro lamented, labelling Governor Kamran Tessori an 'encroacher.' He demanded a formal resolution in the Assembly to uphold constitutional protocol and expressed strong disapproval of the term 'Muhajir' being spray-painted on the building during Tessori's tenure. Khuhro further accused the federal government of undermining Sindh by cutting Rs100 billion from its NFC share. MQM lawmaker Abdul Waseem, meanwhile, delivered a scathing critique of the budget, asserting that 50 percent of the proposed funds would fall prey to corruption and fail to improve the lives of ordinary citizens. Though he credited Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon for introducing new buses to Karachi, he said they were inadequate. 'Karachi needs at least 1,000 new buses.' A major portion of Friday's proceedings centred on the treatment of acting Governor Owais Qadir Shah. Former Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani condemned the incident, calling it an 'insult to the Speaker's chair,' and demanded an official apology from the Governor for violating constitutional norms. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar echoed the concerns, revealing that Shah had been unable to perform his duties for the past 22 days because Governor Tessori had locked the offices and taken the keys with him to Saudi Arabia. Lanjar read out a court order instructing the reopening of the offices and criticized the irony that the 'bell of justice' at the Governor House could not ring for the acting governor himself. 'If this continues, dignity will vanish from all offices, and only hollow titles like 'Governor' will remain,' Lanjar warned. He urged the Chief Minister to intervene and hold those responsible accountable. In response, MQM's Taha Ahmed Khan attributed the issue to 'miscommunication and misunderstanding,' cautioning against politicising the matter. 'We condemn how this issue is being used against Governor Kamran Tessori,' he said, reaffirming MQM's respect for the office and their pride in their identity as descendants of Pakistan's founders. Provincial Minister Ali Hassan Zardari highlighted that 48 new development schemes had been included in the budget, while Industries Minister Jam Ikram Dharejo declared that Rs5 billion had been earmarked for road development in Karachi's SITE industrial area. He also announced the launch of Phase 3 of the Nooriabad Industrial Zone and asserted Sindh's constitutional right to gas resources extracted from its soil. Rehabilitation Minister Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman reported a 12 percent increase in Sindh's revenue collection and emphasised that no other party had served Karachi as diligently as the PPP. He noted that 64 out of 164 RO plants were currently functional in Matiari and mobile service units were active across all districts. Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq issued a dire warning about the escalating water crisis in Karachi, stating, 'The world's first water war may begin here.' He criticized the Sindh government for not prioritizing the K-IV water project in its federal demands and pointed out the limited Rs123billion allocation for local governments. Farooq also urged the government to invest in desalination technology and questioned the effectiveness of the so-called 'Shehbaz Speed,' which, he argued, had brought no tangible benefit to Karachi. PPP MPA Imdad Pitafi called for maturity on both sides of the aisle, describing the opposition as a necessary 'mirror' for any government but warning against cultivating distrust. 'There will be no Pakistan without unity,' he said. 'We must think collectively for Sindh and Pakistan.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
SESSI made 'doubtful' medicine purchases
The Sindh Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ordered a full audit into the procurement of medicines worth Rs9 billion annually by the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), amid complaints of large-scale irregularities, substandard supplies, and misappropriation of public funds. The decision came during a PAC meeting held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Nisar Khuhro. The committee reviewed SESSI's audit reports for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Senior officials, including Secretary Labour Rafiq Qureshi and SESSI Commissioner Miandad Rahujo, were in attendance. During the session, Khuhro expressed concern over the massive annual expenditure on medicines despite persistent complaints from workers and health staff about the supply of low-quality drugs and outdated machinery at SESSI hospitals. SESSI Commissioner Rahujo informed the committee that the institution operates seven major hospitals and 42 dispensaries across the province, including Walika Hospital, Landhi Hospital, and the Kidney Centre. These facilities serve industrial labourers and SESSI-registered employees. He stated that out of SESSI's Rs13billion annual budget, 70% — around Rs9billion — is spent on medicine procurement and healthcare services. The remaining Rs4billion is allocated to field directors. However, the PAC was told that only 70% of the medicine procurement follows formal tendering procedures, while the remaining 30% is purchased locally by directors, where most complaints and irregularities reportedly originate. Khuhro directed that a comprehensive audit be conducted to examine the entire procurement process, particularly the Rs9billion spent annually on medicines. He stressed the need for transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. The commissioner added that Hospital Management Committees had been formed to oversee hospital operations, and the SESSI Governing Body had recently approved a Rs1.4billion project to upgrade and reconstruct Walika Hospital. Construction is expected to commence within a year. Separately, the PAC raised serious concerns about violations of minimum wage laws across the province. The PAC chairman cited disturbing figures that nearly 80% of private industrial units are not paying the government-mandated minimum monthly wage of Rs37,000 to workers. When asked about compliance, Commissioner Rahujo revealed that out of 67,000 industrial units in Sindh, only 24,000 are registered with SESSI. Of these, 6,000 are non-operational and 18,000 are functional, collectively employing about 800,000 registered workers. He admitted that many units, including private security firms, fail to pay the full minimum wage. Calling it a "blatant violation of labour laws," Khuhro directed the Labour Department and SESSI to take immediate steps to ensure all workers receive the legal minimum wage, and to launch strict enforcement actions against defaulting units. The committee also turned its attention to internal issues within SESSI, particularly staffing and fraudulent appointments. Khuhro questioned the number of employees, the legitimacy of their hiring, and the attendance system in place. Commissioner Rahujo reported that SESSI currently employs 4,200 staff and has implemented a digital attendance system. He confirmed that several people hired on the basis of fake degrees had been dismissed after verification. In another damning disclosure, it was revealed that Rs50million had been siphoned off through fraudulent billing under the guise of repair works at SESSI facilities. The PAC ordered the Labour Secretary to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter and submit a comprehensive report on the financial irregularities. Khuhro stressed that institutional reforms and strict oversight are essential to protect workers' rights and public resources. He reaffirmed that it is SESSI's core responsibility to serve the working class with transparency, efficiency, and integrity.
Express Tribune
02-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PAC orders audit of Rs2b monthly allocations to UCs
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly has ordered a comprehensive audit of the Rs2billion monthly budget allocated to union councils (UCs) across the province, citing concerns over financial irregularities and lack of oversight. In a formal letter to the auditor general of Pakistan, the PAC expressed concern that the substantial funds distributed to 1,600 UCs across Sindh are not being properly audited. The committee noted that while the Sindh government disburses Rs2billion monthly to these local bodies, there is no ongoing scrutiny of how the funds are being spent. According to the letter, only the UCs in Karachi Division were audited by the Directorate General (DG) Audit between 2018 and 2019. The financial activities of UCs in other districts of Sindh remain unaudited, raising serious accountability concerns. In response, the PAC has urged the AGP to instruct the relevant DG Audit offices to conduct a three-year audit of the budgets and expenditures of UCs throughout Sindh. Meanwhile, the PAC reported huge recoveries from various government departments in Sindh, totaling over Rs16.22billion to date. The latest recovery of Rs3.42 billion includes, Rs1.87billion deposited by DG Audit Local Government from recoveries made between September 2024 and April 2025. It also has Rs782.72million collected by DG Audit Sindh between July 2024 and April 2025 and Rs772.18million recovered by DG Audit Works during the same Rs12.59billion was recovered in outstanding water charges from various federal and provincial institutions on behalf of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. These amounts have all been deposited into the government treasury. PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro stated that the PAC held 97 meetings between July 2024 and May 2025. During this period, the committee reviewed 1,383 audit paras from various departments, settling 325 of them. The remaining 1,058 paras were deferred for further consideration. Khuhro stressed that the recovery and deposit of over Rs16billion into the government treasury reflect the PAC's unwavering commitment to financial accountability and transparency. He affirmed that the PAC will continue its efforts to recover public funds and ensure fiscal discipline across all government departments.
