KARACHI, April 28: The coalition side on Wednesday finalized the names of eight MPAs to be nominated for election as chairmen of the Sindh Assembly's standing committees. Heads of another six standing committees would be nominated by the opposition in the house.

The 14 committees, constituted through election in the house, would start functioning once their chairmen are also elected. The Rule 129 of the Rules of Procedure defines the role of a standing committee as: "the standing committee shall examine a legislative proposal and deal with a subject assigned under the Rules of Business of departments specified against such committees."

According to sources, the coalition side finalized the nominations at a meeting at the CM's House under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar. Mr Mahar informed the meeting that the secretary of the assembly would soon summon the standing committees for the purpose of electing the chairmen.

The meeting gave its approval to the list of nominated chairmen. The candidates and their respective standing committees are: Mr Hameedul Zafar (Local Government), Jam Madad Ali (Public Accounts), Mr Mahboob Ali Bijarani (Services and Information), Mehmood Alam Jamote (Government Insurance), Mr Sultan Ahmad Khuhawar (Law and Parliamentary Affairs) Mr Faiz Mohammad Mahar (Industries and Mineral Development), Mr Pooja Mal Bheel (Home Affairs), Mr Akhtar Bilgrami (Finance), and Mr Sadaqat Ali Jatoi (Irrigation).

Senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad and Dr Irfan Gul Magsi also attended the meeting. The six committees whose chairmen are to be nominated by the opposition pertained to the departments of Education, Communication, Health & Social Welfare, Labour, Food, and Planning & Development.

Although the committees have powers to summon and examine any person and the records of the statutory bodies of any government, semi-government or an autonomous organization running under the government, they are not empowered to seek a record of any proposed taxation.