KARACHI, Aug 28: No substantive business could be taken up in the Sindh Assembly on the third day of the current session on Thursday which was wasted due to non-serious approach and deliberate time-wasting tactics by the government and opposition members.
The session has been requisitioned by the opposition to discuss the controversial project of Greater Thal Canal, aftermath of the recent devastating rains, oil spillage caused by a foreign vessel Tasman Spirit, etc.
But events created the impression that no one is serious in discussing the problems which the elected representatives on both sides of the divide consider a matter of life and death.
Neither side turned up on time. The opposition members, whose responsibility is to provide quorum for the requisitioned session, does not come on time owing to which a considerable amount of time is wasted. The opposition has not yet shown the tactical maturity and finesse for putting the government in the dock.
The treasury benches, which have put the onus of delay on the opposition, have yet to prove their presence on time because that is not the case either. While treasury benches claim to be champion of the cause of Sindh, their attitude during this session is evidently evasive, although they could have pushed the agenda on their own to amplify government position.
Rumpus began when Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah left the House after a few minutes of commencement of the session and deputy speaker Rahila Tiwana, whose election to that office is not accepted by the opposition, took charge of the proceedings.
The opposition started chanting slogans of “Go Rahila Go ... Go Musharraf Go ... No LFO No ...” etc., and some of its members stood in front of the rostrum to add to the rumpus.
Ms Tiwana kept on asking the members to maintain order but when she failed to prevail, she adjourned proceeding for 15 minutes after Education Minister Irafanullah Khan Marwat had complained that noise in the House had become unbearable.
After the break, the proceedings resumed and she again occupied the Speaker’s chair, only to make the opposition more furious. They ignored her call for maintaining order and kept on chanting slogans against her. In the meantime, Irfan Gul Magsi and Irfanullah Marwat also kept on trying to pacify the MMA and other opposition members but in vain. Owing to this, no business of the House could proceed for another 15 minutes.
When the situation became unbearable, Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain returned to the House. Syed Qaim Ali Shah of the PPP complained that during interruption, when he had taken up the matter with the Speaker in his chambers, he had promised to the PPP Parliamentarians’ leader that he himself would preside the remaining part of the proceedings. However, surprisingly the deputy speaker once again came to preside which, Qaim Ali Shah said, gave the impression that the treasury benches were not serious in conducting business and were deliberately provoking opposition to avoid a discussion on substantive matters.
Former minister Mohammad Hussain accused the opposition of engaging in time-wasting tactics and using unparliamentary language against the deputy speaker.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah and the MMA’s Hameedullah Advocate said that when Ms Tiwana’s election as deputy speaker had been challenged in the court, she should not occupy that chair. But the Speaker’s contention was that since there was no stay order issued by the court, she could do so.
About 45 minutes of the day’s proceedings were wasted owing to the rumpus on the issue which gave the impression that it was part of the treasury benches’ strategy to keep the opposition at bay and not let it take up the crucial matters which might cause embarrassment to the government, especially in the backdrop of Gen Musharraf’s just concluded visit to the province.
This perception got credence when the House resumed after prayer break and the government side was not in a mood to let the business continue.
As soon as the proceedings commenced, Mr Marwat who had sensed that treasury benches were short of members and the opposition could force its way, stood up and made a statement that the newsmen who were arrested in Jamshoro on the occasion of Gen Musharraf’s visit, had been released and cases against them withdrawn.
He wanted to hold the fort but Qaim Ali Shah pointed out that unless extension in time was granted, how could he make such a statement. But all of a sudden, many government ministers stood up, started talking loudly and even engaged in cross talk, perhaps to gain more time for members to turn up.
The Speaker asked him to move a motion and it was put to the House for a vote. At this stage, the government was significantly short of members.
When the division was being counted without the doors being closed, government members came rushing in to convert their deficit into majority. The Speaker immediately adjourned the session to meet again on Friday at 9.30am.
Earlier, the opposition members raised many points of order pertaining to law and order and other issues. Hameedullah Advocate complained that the holders of ‘504’ series of the old NICs in Baldia and Orangi Town were facing great difficulty in getting passport. They are being harrased unless agents were paid money, he claimed.
The PPP’s Ayaz Soomro from Ratto Dero demanded release of the voters who, he claimed, had been kidnapped. Zahid Hussain Bhurgari of the PPP demanded rehabilitation of 750 families affected in the 1988 ethnic riots and had threatened to commit self-immolation on Sept 11. Dr Mehreen expressed concern over the law and order situation prevailing in Khairpur. Humaira Alwani wanted relaxation in the age limit for government job seekers.
The MMA’s parliamentary party leader Maulana Umar Sadiq deplored government’s failure in the maintenance of law and order.
KARACHI, Aug 28: No substantive business could be taken up in the Sindh Assembly on the third day of the current session on Thursday which was wasted due to non-serious approach and deliberate time-wasting tactics by the government and opposition members.
