KRACHI: Uproar mars proceedings, delays legislation
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 25: An uproar minutes before the end of the day's proceedings of the Sindh Assembly blocked consideration of a government bill and prompted Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah to warn an opposition member
against making noise.
The session was adjourned till Friday as order could not be restored.
The bill, introduced by Law Minister Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed, pertained to amendments to certain laws governing private universities and educational institutions in Sindh.
The opposition member, Ghulam Qadir Chandio, speaking on a point of order, insisted that the issue of 24 deaths over the last 48 hours at the Peoples Medical College Hospital, Nawabshah, for want of medicines and attention be taken up by the house.
The speaker wanted the government bill taken up first, but Mr Chandio and several other members started speaking loudly at a time, creating disorder. The chair maintained that the rules did not allow a discussion on some other subject while a motion was already moved.
When Mr Chandio remained adamant, the speaker warned him against interrupting the house proceedings and refusing to heed the chair. Earlier, the speaker reserved his ruling till next day on Syed Murad Ali Shah's suggestion about certain bills.
He was of the view that the bills, instead of being carried through by dispensing the rules, be referred to the concerned standing committees of the house which remain dormant for want of business.
A discussion on the admissibility of four identical motions on the killing of Mufti Jameel Ahmed and Maulana Nazeer Taunsvi was also put off till next day due to paucity of time.
The movers, opposition leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and MMA leader Hameedullah Khan had drawn the attention of the house to the situation where killers of the two religious scholars were still at large despite the passage of more than a month.
Chaudhry Iftikhar opposed the motion and said the matter was under investigation whereas statements of nine witnesses in the case had already recorded. Maintaining that both the religious scholars were non-controversial figures, the minister said that a discussion on the motion would not be useful. However, he invited any member who might have some clue to come forward and assist in the investigation process.
The speaker also put off till Friday taking up of a privilege motion moved by Hafiz Mohammad Naeem of the MMA. His motion pertained to unnecessary delay in the execution of a playground scheme in his constituency.
He alleged that the concerned town nazim had been creating obstacles. The law minister said that the member's privilege was not breached in this matter. However, he said, the problem could be sorted out through the concerned minister.
MMA's Maulana Omar Sadiq, speaking on a point of order, raised the issue of the kidnapping of his three colleagues. He told the house that when the naval and police officials were approached, they expressed their ignorance about the affair. He demanded immediate recovery of the victims. The law minister assured the house that the kidnap victims would be located.
Mr Shakir Ali of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on a point of order pointed out that under the relevant Railways rules, the staff for a newly launched train service had been recruited from Punjab and Sindh at a ratio of 50 per cent.
However, he added, in the case of the two services - Karakorum Express and Millat Express - all the staff was recruited from Punjab which was injustice with the people of Sindh. The speaker advised the member to move a resolution in this regard.
The opposition's Jam Mehtab Dahar took up the issue of a sudden increase of Rs150-200 per bag in the price of DPA fertiliser. Demanding immediate action in this regard, he said the trend would badly affect the agricultural production.
The speaker said that the issue be raised in presence of the concerned minister. Mr Rafique Engineer of the PPP drew the attention of the house to the humiliating treatment meted out to the family of eminent poet Ahmad Faraz. He said that the family's belongings had been thrown out of their official residence.
The bomb hoax that delayed start of the day's proceedings was referred to by the opposition's Hameedullah Khan who on a point of order said that the insecurity in the city had increased to the extent that the assembly building had now been receiving bombing threats. He urged the government to take effective measures to ensure safety and security of all citizens, besides maintenance of law and order.
BOMB HOAX: The Sindh Assemby building was on Thursday thoroughly searched by the bomb disposal squad immediately after an anonymous caller told the assembly secretary that a bomb had been planted somewhere in the building, adds PPI. However, the claim proved a hoax as no explosive device was found during the search. Immediately after receiving the call at 11:15am, the secretary raised the alarm and declared emergency.
All those present in the building were asked to leave. The bomb disposal squad rushed to the building and carried out the search before declaring it 'safe'. The house then went into the session at about 11:35am.
Resolution on women's day
KARACHI, Nov 25: The Sindh Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution that called for an end to violence against women. The resolution coincided with the women's day observed internationally on Thursday (Nov 25).
The resolution was tabled jointly by the opposition's Shazia Atta Marri and PML's Naila Inam. It paid tributes to those women who have either been killed or rendered disabled due to violence. -APP
