KARACHI, Sept 16: Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah on Tuesday disallowed discussion on two adjournment motions of the opposition against the Greater Thal Canal on technical grounds, which instantly generated noisy protests amid allegations by the opposition of a sell-out on vital issues of the province.

The ruling came after the opposition tabled two adjournment motions seeking to discuss “the failure of the provincial government” to pursue the two unanimous resolutions of the assembly urging the federal government to stop construction of the canal.

The ruling was announced after leader of the opposition Nisar Khuhro reminded the speaker that he had promised to give his ruling on the adjournment motions.

Although both the adjournment motions were ruled out of order, the opposition succeeded in its objective of keeping the issue of the Greater Thal Canal in the limelight.

The speaker was of the view that the movers of the motions had prima facie failed to make out a case of admissibility.

The two adjournment motions were moved by former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, and leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmed Khuhro. The basis of these motions was a news item published in the Sindhi-language daily Ibrat of July 21.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah, in his motion, had also made reference to Articles 154 and 155 of the Constitution stating that the provincial government should have filed a complaint with the Council of Common Interests under the provisions of the two articles.

Noting that the only source and basis of the two adjournment motions was a news item, Mr Shah held: “I have perused the same and found that in the said article, there is no mention at all of the failure of the government of Sindh in pursuing the two unanimously-passed resolutions, nor was there any reference that the provincial government of Sindh had failed to take such steps as could be expected of it.”

The ruling on a private members day prompted the expected rowdy protests from the opposition benches. They paid no heed to the speaker’s call for maintaining decorum in the house or to his advice that if the opposition brought another, properly-framed adjournment motion on this important issue, he will admit it for discussion.

After the rumpus, the speaker adjourned the proceedings and the opposition members went outside the house to register their protest.