Islamabad:
The federal budget for fiscal year 2025-26 was criticized in the Senate on Friday, with legislators of the treasure and opposition banks that denounce it.
The problems that affect minority communities in Sindh and the ongoing situation in Baluchistan also appeared prominently in the session.
The house, chaired by Vice President Syedal Khan Nasir, briefly witnessed a boycott for opposition members due to the absence of any minister.
The debate on the budget resumed after the arrival of the Minister of Law Azam Nazeer Tarar and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Chaudhry.
Senator Dansh Kumar highlighted the alleged kidnapping of three girls and a boy from the minority community in Sindh. “It is being heard that these girls became force,” he told the house, urging the Sindh police chief to take an immediate warning of the incident.
In response, the vice president ordered the main secretary of Sindh and the inspector General of Police to present a report and instructed even more than the officers met with Senator Kumar to address their concerns.
The Senator of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) Waqar Mehdi informed the Chamber that “the girls had been recovered” and would appear before the relevant court in Karachi. He said that “there would be no discrimination against minorities.”
Maulana Attaur Rehman supported Senator Kumar’s concerns and requested the responsibility of the Sindh government. Senator Raja Nasir Abbas added: “There is no compulsion in religion and kidnapping of girls is wrong.”
Senator Khalil Tahir Sindhu said the budget did not contain assignments for minorities or interreligious harmony. The vice president responded to advising him to address the matter within his own party, since he belonged to the ruling coalition.
Senator Khaleda Ateeb raised the question of a tragic Dumes accident in Karachi who claimed the life of a woman and her daughter. “Why is Dumper mafia so strong in Karachi?” She asked.
Senator Mehdi replied that the provincial government was making efforts to enforce traffic laws.
Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi urged the government to play a more important role in efforts to stop the Iran-Israel conflict. He warned that “Israel wanted to change the government in Iran and bring its puppets there.”
He also criticized the budget to ignore Baluchistan, saying: “Baluchistan cannot be ignored. We should have had a plan to fix the situation in Baluchistan. Let’s take Baluchistan seriously.”
In response, the Minister of Law Tarar reiterated that Baluchistan was a high priority for the Government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
