20 June 2004	Sunday	01 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, June 19: The Sindh Assembly could not initiate general discussion on the provincial budget 2004-05 on Saturday as the session had to be adjourned for the day amid commotion over the issue of blocking opposition members' entry into the assembly building.

The session began at 11am, one-and-a-half hours behind the schedule, with Mr Muhammad Hussain in the chair. Soon after the recitation of holy Quran and Na'at, opposition leader in the house Nisar Ahmad Khuhro rose from his seat and drew the chair's attention to the issue. He maintained that opposition MPAs were being denied entry into the building by security personnel posted at the gate. The members, he added, were being humiliated.

Mr Khuhro told the chair that all the opposition MPAs intended to join in the fateha to be offered in the house for the departed soul of Munawwar Suhrawardy.

The opposition leader demanded that entry of all opposition MPAs into the building with their vehicles be ensured. None of them be asked to leave their vehicles outside and walk up to the assembly hall, he added.

Mr Khuhro further urged the chair that the proceedings of the day be adjourned after the fateha and a special session be held to remember the late Suhrawardy.

Responding to Mr Khuhro's claims and demands, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim told the house that no MPA was being prevented from entering into the house. The police personnel at the gate informed him that they were denying entry to only unconcerned people, he added.

He maintained that they (the treasury benches) equally shared their grief on the death of Mr Suhrawardy.

The CM agreed to adjourned the day's proceedings after offering fateha.

The CM's contention was rejected by Mr Hameedullah of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal who stood up and claimed that Maulana Omar Sadiq, Hafiz Muhammad Naeem and Maulana Ehsanullah were among the members who were not being allowed to enter into the assembly building. He demanded an inquiry into the matter and action against the police officials for misleading the CM because, he said, only opposition members were being stopped at the gate.

Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad told the house that the police were checking entry passes as no guest were to be allowed in for today's session.

Assuring the house that no member would be stopped from entering into the assembly building, the chief minister pledged that if any official was found guilty, he would be taken to task.

Ms Afshan Imran of PML claimed that one of the opposition members had brought six MPAs in his vehicle which was stopped by the police. Her claim was immediately refuted by several opposition members.

Ms Saeeda Malik of treasury benches alleged that it was opposition MPA Jokhyo, and not the security personnel, who had blocked the gate by parking his vehicle at the entrance.

At this stage, many members from both sides started speaking at the same time creating a great commotion. The chair, after failing to restore order despite hurling warnings, adjourned the session at about 11.30am till Monday.

BRIEFING: Soon after the session was adjourned for the day, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim held a briefing for newsmen in his chamber in the assembly building.

He said that he intended to visit the residence of Munawwar Suhrawardy and also to see the opposition leader Nisar Khuhro after hearing the news of the tragic incident on Thursday. However, he added, Mr Khuhro himself advised him to put off the visit for the time being in view of the charged atmosphere.

Dr Arbab said he had given special instructions to police to maintain peace during the funeral process. The law-enforcement agencies, he added, did perform their duties in a responsible manner though there were a few incidents of stone pelting.

"As soon as I arrived at the assembly building today, I called on Mr Khuhro in his chamber and offered condolences and fateha for the departed soul of Mr Suhrawardy. We talked to each other in a good atmosphere."

With regard to the extraordinary security measures at the gate of the assembly building, Dr Arbab said that opposition members usually came along with their guests and bodyguards who had to be subjected to identification. Furthermore, he added, the main entrance was blocked by PPP MPA Mr Jokhyo who had stopped his vehicle there. As it was not possible for others to drive through, some MPAs had to enter the building on foot.

He categorically stated that no instructions were given to the security personnel to stop any MPA from entering the assembly building.

The chief minister said that in view of the impending threat to the Parliament House, stringent security measures against a possible rocket attack 'by a third party' had been carried out.

In reply to a question, he said that those arrested in the recent attack on corps commander's cavalcade had been identified through the chip which was found in a bag containing bombs at the scene.

He hinted that the provincial cabinet might be expanded during the ongoing assembly session.