KARACHI - Lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) once again came face to face when Khurram Sher Zaman took a jibe at the provincial government.

Zaman said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had lied to people of Sindh. In reaction, the treasury members lost their cool and started chanting “Jhoota Niazi Jhoota”. PPP and PTI lawmakers came very close to each other however they were separated by some senior colleagues from both sides.

Zaman was of the view that the PPP was responsible for inflation in Sindh as it had imposed too many indirect taxes. Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MPA Shahryar Mahar said the PPP government had failed to deliver for the masses in its 11-year long tenure.

Health and Population Welfare Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuhu said the provincial government was taking all measures to improve the situation in the department. She said that ambulance service was being expanded to all districts of the province and added that 100 ambulances equipped with all facilities would be inducted into the existing fleet. Speaking on the population control programme, she said the department was approaching people to adopt contraceptive measures.

Minister for Transport Syed Awais Qadir Shah said that 200 buses would be run across Sindh very soon. He accused the federal government of “not approving” Yellow and Red Line Bus Rapid Transit in Karachi. “After completion of formalities, we sent these transport projects for approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec), but the centre was not willing to approve these projects,” he said.

Syed Abdul Rasheed of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal urged the federal government to release funds for water schemes of Karachi. “I acknowledge mandate of the MQM-P and the PPP, but those who were brought to assemblies don’t have mandate in Sindh,” he said.