Opposition parties staged a strong protest during the Sindh Assembly’s budget session, forcing a temporary delay in the budget speech as lawmakers accused the provincial government of ignoring democratic consultation and bypassing the pre-budget process.
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The protest began shortly before Chief Minister and Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah was scheduled to present the Sindh Budget for the fiscal year 2026-27.
Opposition members, led by Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi, stood on their seats and chanted slogans against what they called a “people-unfriendly budget.”
Members from MQM-Pakistan, PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami joined the protest, demanding greater transparency and consultation in the budget-making process.
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During the protest, opposition lawmakers raised slogans rejecting the budget and criticized the government for failing to engage elected representatives before finalizing key financial decisions.
Addressing the assembly, Ali Khurshidi said the provincial government had bypassed the pre-budget consultation process and failed to take opposition members into confidence.
“The pre-budget session was bypassed and the representatives of Sindh were not consulted,” Khurshidi said.
He argued that a proper pre-budget debate would have allowed opposition lawmakers to review proposed allocations and provide recommendations on issues affecting their constituencies.
“If a pre-budget discussion had taken place, we would have been aware of the government’s plans and priorities,” he added.
Khurshidi announced that the opposition would boycott the chief minister’s budget speech as a protest against what he described as the government’s one-sided approach.
“Today we are boycotting the chief minister’s budget speech. Once the budget is presented, we will share our detailed position on it,” he said.
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Following the protest, opposition members staged a walkout from the assembly chamber. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah later resumed and as of filing this story, delivering his budget speech in the absence of opposition lawmakers.
Speaking to journalists outside the assembly, Khurshidi said opposition parties were united because of what he called the provincial government’s “authoritarian policies.”
“We have all been elected from urban Sindh and represent the people of our constituencies,” he said. “This is a democratic system, but unfortunately the current rulers have maintained a one-way approach.”
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Farooq also criticized the budget and accused the government of neglecting Karachi despite the city’s major contribution to provincial revenues.
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“Karachi contributes around 95 percent of the province’s revenue, yet the city continues to face serious infrastructure and public service challenges,” Farooq said.
He described the provincial budget as a budget for the elite and alleged that it failed to address the needs of ordinary citizens.
Farooq also criticized both provincial and federal authorities for not allocating sufficient resources for major projects, including the K-IV water supply project, which is considered vital for Karachi’s long-term water needs.
“This budget does not offer meaningful relief for Karachi,” he said, adding that opposition parties would continue to record their protest in the coming days.
