KARACHI, Dec 17: The newly-elected Chief Minister of Sindh, Ali Mohammad Mahar, on Tuesday secured confidence of 90 members of the Sindh Assembly as the MPAs belonging to Peoples Party Parliamentarians and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal staged a walk out and boycotted rest of the proceeding.
When none of the opposition members was in the House, the head count was 90 in favour of the chief minister. He had secured 89 votes on Monday on the eve of his election as Leader of the House.
The motion for vote of confidence was moved by Syed Sardar Ahmed of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Irfanullah Khan Marwat of the National Alliance, Syed Ali Bukhsh Shah and Altaf Hussain Unnar.
Governor Mohammedmian Soomro had on Monday summoned the provincial assembly to meet on Tuesday for the CM to seek vote of confidence as required under clause (3) of Article 130 of the Constitution.
The absence of opposition, which had dominated the earlier proceedings, dampened the felicitations which became ‘one-way traffic’.
While the members were congratulating Mr Mahar, a fire broke out due to short circuit disrupting the proceedings for about 45 minutes. It took the fire-tenders about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire. Power supply was restored through alternative source later.
During the lacklustre felicitation without opposition, Dr Arbab Rahim was the only member of the ruling party who maintained that chair should have allowed the parliamentary leader of the PPP to state his point of view. He emphasized the need for taking along all shades of opinion for the sake of democratic dispensation.
All the leaders of parliamentary parties and groups present in the House, except for the PPP and MMA, spoke on the occasion.
Ali Mohammad Mahar, in his maiden speech, promised that he would serve the people and take the opposition along.
He said that his first priority would be to create an atmosphere conducive for investment in the province in order to generate employment opportunities. In this regard, he said that law and order would be of prime importance.
The chief minister said that in order to check crime in the interior of Sindh, he would create a border force whereas National Highway Police Force would be established on the pattern of Motorway Police. In both these organizations, local people would be provided jobs, he added.
He said that the NHPF would also help in preventing criminals from crossing over to other provinces to escape arrest. He said that he would convene a meeting soon in this regard.
The CM mentioned ‘dacoit culture’ in the kutcha areas of the province and the growing incidents of vehicle-lifting in Karachi.
To check the menace, he said, he had already held consultations. He said that a meeting would be held to discuss raising of a border force to be equipped with the necessary logistical support.
Mr Mahar observed that for the unhindered process of development, it was essential to improve road networks. He pledged construction of city to market roads for the purpose.
He pointed out that the introduction of highway police in Karachi and Hyderabad had brought down the average of accidents. Such a police force would also be deputed along the National Highway up to Obaro so as to cover the entire highway.
After speeches in the House, the Speaker prorogued the session.
