17 April 2004	Saturday	26 Safar 1425

KARACHI, April 16: Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Friday again held the treasury benches responsible for disorder in the house.

When the members were paying due attention to the discussion on MPA Abdullah Murad's killing, a minister resorted to adopting a threatening posture to intimidate the opposition benches, he said, and added that the law minister also resorted to intervention.

Addressing a press conference in his chamber after the session was adjourned on Friday, Mr Khuhro said that a straight discussion on Mr Murad's killing right from the start of the Friday's proceedings exposed the treasury benches' claim that the opposition was not serious in discussing the motion.

He pointed out that the opposition did not move any other motion, but it was the law minister who disrupted the discussion to move his motion. "Again, when Mr Nasrullah Shaji was about to conclude his speech, the law minister sprung up from his seat to make a statement, without indulgence of the chair, on the recovery of weapons from a car."

Flanked by Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nasrullah Shaji, Mr Khuhro said that the law minister's contention in this regard appeared an open insult to the media and newsmen as the report had been carried by almost all newspapers. He said the members from treasury benches express their disapproval and anger when the opposition drawn their attention towards the rules.

Mr Khuhro deplored another minister's attitude who, he pointed out, left his seat and occupied another one, hurled threats at an opposition member, resorted to abusive language against other members and stood up to fight with an MPA within the house.

He told newsmen that when he tried to restrain the minister, Adil Siddiqui, the latter adopted a threatening posture towards him also. Criticizing the trend of hooliganism in the treasury members, Mr Khuhro said: "Mustafa Kamal and Adil Siddiqui were looking at opposition as if we are their subjects."

He questioned the logic in denying the lone member of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement in the house his right to speak. The speaker, Mr Khuhro deplored, also threaten him by saying that if he (Yunus Khan) did not behave, he would not be brought from the prison to attend the session.

"We condemn this attitude of the speaker. This is an insult. This is not appropriate for a speaker as the attitude manifests his partiality."