24 December 2004	Friday	11 Ziqa'ad 1425

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KARACHI, Dec 23: The winter session of the Sindh Assembly commencing on Friday is likely to witness fireworks as the House has been summoned when the political temperature over sensitive issues in the country is rising.

Issues like the dropping of the religion column from the new passports, oppositions demand from President Musharraf to relinquish office of the COAS by Dec 31, creation of new districts in Sindh, removal of four district nazims, failure of the government to recover two kidnapped judges, and water shortage issues are to spark debate.

The matter of arrest and release of PPP leader Asif Zardari is also likely to be raised in the House. Another issue, which will draw uproar is bulldozing of the agenda of the opposition by the government summoning its own session.

The ruling coalition parliamentary party was in session at the Chief Minister's House when this report was filed. The parliamentary party of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal will meet on Friday at 9am in its chambers at the assembly building.

The MMA will observe the day as closed business day in view of the strike call given by it against deletion of the religion column from the new passports and attempts by the government to amend settled issues pertaining to blasphemy laws.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary leader of the MMA in the Sindh assembly, Maulana Omar Sadiq, accompanied by Nasrullah Shajjee and Hameedullah Khan has submitted resolutions at the assembly secretariat.

In one of the resolutions, they have demanded repeal of the decision for allowing educational examination boards in private sector including the Aga Khan board. In other resolutions, the federal government has been asked to restore the religion column in the new passports, and provide special grant to Sindh for implementing water projects in the province to meet water shortage.

The MMA through its adjournment motions will also request taking up and immediately debating the issues of kidnapping of two judges from Shikarpur; ransacking and setting ablaze the offices of the Jamaat-i-Islami and Sunni Tehreek in Lines area; and taking the House into confidence about measures being taken by the provincial government to overcome water shortage.

Earlier, leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro, commenting on summoning of the session by Sindh governor said that they had submitted a requisition on December 14. But, instead of summoning the Assembly the government had called its own session to sabotage the opposition's agenda.

The opposition wanted to discuss the government position on the NFC award after resignation of its private member Mr A.K. Lodi from the commission. Other issues included Greater Thal Canal, and creation of new districts in the province.

The meeting of the ruling coalition's parliamentary party was presided over by the chief minister. Over a dozen members expressed their views on various affairs including the need for formulating a recruitment policy, ongoing and new development projects, and law and order situation.

The members congratulated the chief minister for creating four new districts in the province. The meeting also extended greetings to the Christian community on Christmas.