KARACHI: PA adopts three private resolutions unanimously: Session prorogued
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Oct 25: The Sindh Assembly session was prorogued on Tuesday, but before the speaker read out the governor’s adjournment order, the House witnessed close cooperation between treasury and opposition benches when they passed three private resolutions unanimously and carried all the amendments to the Ziauuddin Medical University (Amendment) Bill, 2003, as suggested by the governor.
However, this understanding could not last long when the Law Minister, Iftikhar Chaudhry, moved a motion for election of four members to the Sindh Coal Board Authority and on the basis of the majority got four MPAs, Arbab Abdullah, Karim Dino, Ahsan Ali Jatoi and Jarar Haider, nominated on the board after relaxation of rules.
Earlier, discussion on the admissibility of a privilege motion by Ms Sharaf-un-Nisa Leghari of the PPP about her arrest by the police in Lahore was initiated, and Nisar Ahmad Khuhro moved his adjournment motion regarding rigging in the recently held local government elections. But more discussion on both the motions was put off for the next working day.
When the law minister sought permission from the House to move another motion by relaxation of rule 179 under rule 211, opposition benches protested over it and over a dozen members rose from their seats. They were of the view that if the House was run in this manner, other business would be affected.
Ms Shazia Marri termed the procedure of moving the motion a violation of the rules.
Farhad Jatoi from treasury benches drew the attention of the chair towards Rule 32 and requested the chair to ask the law minister and other members not to raise any other item, except business on the agenda, as it was private members day.
Minister Shoaib Bokhari opposed the point of order raised by Mr Jatoi. The Speaker said it was prerogative of the House to grant permission or not. However, keeping in view the opinion of the House, he gave the ruling that no other item would be allowed on private members’ day.
Soon after the ruling, the Speaker read out the order of the governor to prorogue the session.
The three private resolutions which were passed included the one by Mr Abdul Sattar Ansari regarding Northern Bypass and Lyari Expressway while the other two pertained to the A N G Abbasi’s technical committee report on water by Fariha Razzak Haroon and the reactivation and bringing into order the SCARP tubewells. This motion was moved by Ahsan Ali Jatoi.
Earlier, the House was called to order by Speaker Muzaffar Hussain Shah at 11.10am.
Before taking up any item of the agenda, the Speaker took notice of the press conference addressed by the Leader of Opposition, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, in his chamber on Monday in which he had criticized the conduct of the chair.
He reminded that under rule 212(20 and (3) any decision, ruling or direction by the Speaker shall not be called in question in any manner or any ground.
Almost an hour was consumed in points of order before the question-answer session was taken up at 12.10pm.
Resolutions: Abdul Sattar Ansari moved his resolution in which it was recommended to the Sindh government to approach the federal government that the National Highway Authority be directed to accelerate the pace of work on Lyari Expressway and on the Karachi Northern Bypass so that smooth flow of traffic on city roads could be ensured.
Highlighting the importance of the two projects, he said in view of increasing traffic and population in Karachi, traffic jams were occurring every now and then on roads.
The former city nazim, he said, had excavated 19 main arteries of the city to consume development budget before it lapsed which multiplied the traffic problem, as such time would be required to bring about improvement to the situation. Therefore, the Sindh government should ask the federal government to expedite the pace of work on the Lyari Expressway.
Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, endorsing the resolution, said Karachi was an identity of Pakistan. He said it was PPP’s government which had conceived the two projects in 1993-94.
Senior minister Sardar Ahmad corrected him by pointing out that in fact the planning of the two projects was initiated during the period of Governor Lt-Gen Jehandad Khan in 1986-87.
Nasarullah Shaji paid tributes to former Nazim Naimatullah Khan for implementing the projects which were on papers only.
He said those talking about excavation of 18 roads have forgotten rigging in polls and that they came to power from the back-door with the support of the army.
He said during the last four years, the development work done in Karachi was recognised by all throughout Pakistan.
He said these two projects should be completed at the earliest, but the affectees of Lyari Expressway should be given Rs 50,000 first as compensation and plot of 80 square yards prior to their shifting.
Provincial Minister Shoaib Bokhari corrected him, saying that the work on these projects was initiated on April 23, 2001, when there was no city nazim.
Rafique Engineer of PPP said that the affected local population was not being compensated. Murad Ali Shah of PPP also demanded early work on the project.
Qamar Mansoor of MQM said instead of talking about prejudiced issues, positive proposals should be made.
When the resolution was put to vote, it was unanimously passed.
After the resolution, the Speaker referred the message of the Governor regarding Ziauddin University Amendment Bill which was also passed.
Abdul Aziz Bantwa’s resolution directing the traffic police to control and maintain traffic flow properly was also passed unanimously. The third resolution which was moved by Fariha Razzak Haroon was also adopted unanimously in which the Sindh government was asked to approach the federal government for making the report on water public.
Fariha Razzak said it was an important and a controversial issue and should be debated. Jam Saifullah Dharejo of the PPP said that the House had passed three resolutions against Kalabagh Dam and now its technical report had appeared which should be discussed in the House.
Ms Humera Alwani, Ms Sharf-un-Nisa Leghari, Nasrullah Baloch, Anwar Mehar, and Farhad Jatoi also supported the resolution while Ali Nawaz Shah said the people of Sindh had rejected the committees and they were opposed to construction of dams on River Indus.
Nisar Ahmad Khuhro demanded publication of ANG Abbasi report.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that as the technical committee was formed after bypassing the constitutional provisions, the people of Sindh were against it and were not keen about the report. The government should form the Council of Common Interests to take up such sensitive issues.
Irrigation Minister Sardar Nadir Akmal Leghari recalled that the government had formed two committees — political and technical — as there was controversy over water.
He said that the Sindh government was aware of the situation. The report, he said, which was under study by the federal government, would be sent to the stake-holders late. He assured the House that the report would be laid before the House. He said whatever steps were being suggested by the members had already been taken up by him with the government. We should wait for the report, he added.
