Murad unveils Rs1.7trn Sindh budget for FY23

• ‘Tax-free’ budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23 presented
• 15pc increase in salaries of govt employees and 5pc  in pensions announced
• Opposition rejects the budget and terms it anti-poor

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday unveiled an Rs1.7 trillion budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23 in the Sindh Assembly.

As soon as the chief minister, who has the portfolio of finance minister, started his budget speech, the opposition commenced its protest and raised slogans, rejecting the budget.

Read more: Punjab budget could not be presented due to treasury, opposition benches’ protest

The PPP lawmakers surrounded the chief minister during his speech to save him from any interference and attack of the opposition members.

Amid uproar in the assembly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah that the Sindh government had presented a “pro-poor” and “tax-free” budget for the next fiscal year 2022-23.

Murad announced 15 percent increase in the salaries of government employees and five percent in pensions, adding that no new tax was enforced in the budget.

He observed that the last year witnessed extraordinary changes at national and international levels, ultimately hitting the common man.

However, the provincial government would not leave no stone unturned to ensure economic and political stability in the province, contributing its shares in the common national effort, which is in line with the vision of the PPP,” CM Shah said.

The chief minister prayed that Pakistan and its democracy be protected from the dangers and challenges that it is facing.

However, the opposition registered their strong protest against the budget and rejected the budget, terming the budget anti-poor.  They started chanting ‘Imported Government Na-manzor’ chants.

MQM leader Khuwaja Izhar-ul-Hassan also criticised the budget and said that there was no mention of the K4 project in the budget, adding that Karachi was suffering from a shortage of water and the Sindh rulers had no priority for the metropolis.

According to Bol TV, Manzoor Wasan snatched the mobile phone from PTI female MPA Dua Bhutto and ran away from the house.

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Talking to media persons outside the assembly building, Dua said that Asif Ali Zardari had taught his MNAs and MPAs to steal and rob.

Hiowever, the budget session started with 45 minutes of delay by the Acting Deputy Speaker Rehana Leghari.

As per details, the total expenditures in the current fiscal year will be 1,679,734.8 rupees. The province is facing a deficit of 33.848 billion rupees. Total revenue collection will be Rs 1,679,734.8 billion.

Around 1.055 Billion rupees were transferred by the federal government and provincial receipts of Rs 374.5 billion were presented.

Earlier, the Sindh cabinet on Tuesday accorded the approval of a 1.71 trillion tax-free provincial budget for the financial year 2022-23.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired the meeting in Karachi.

Addressing the meeting, Syed Murad Ali Shah said this is the pro-poor budget in which steps had been taken for social protection and economic stability.