KARACHI: Opposition mulls no-trust move against speaker
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 28: Deputy opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman has accused Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah of showing partiality, complaining that while the speaker favoured the treasury side, he did not allow the opposition to play its due role by raising issues of public interest.
“If he did not change this attitude, the opposition would be constrained to move another no-confidence motion against him,” Mr Zaman added.
Addressing a crowded press conference after the session was adjourned for the day, Mr Zaman said that today’s scenario was a continuity of the attitude towards opposition since this assembly came into being.
He pointed out that the opposition had many a times reached understanding with the treasury benches to facilitate a smooth functioning of the house. However, he regretted, the opposition’s point of view had never been considered.
He told journalists that the law minister, as soon as the session resumed, called for putting off the question hour. Mr Zaman said that on the order of the day, there were some important privilege and adjournment motions. “We also wanted to help in legislation work but were not in favour of skipping the question hour. But they bulldozed all the items on the agenda. The opposition still showed resilience and went to the speaker. It was decided that the rest of the proceedings would be conducted in accordance with the agenda and the opposition’s point of view would be taken into account. However, when the proceedings resumed after the Zuhr break, the law minister accused the opposition of being ignorant about legislation business.”
Mr Zaman said that when the opposition came out with suggestions with regard to the government bills, the speaker, instead of considering the suggestions, gave warnings to Sassui Palejo, and when Syed Murad Ali Shah wanted to draw his attention towards relevant rule, the speaker termed his conduct ‘ridiculous’.
If the opposition was not allowed to speak on point of orders, then why the treasury members were allowed to raise points of order? he argued.
The speaker has become the ‘speaker of the government’, the opposition leader said.
When asked if Syed Murad Ali Shah would be attending the Tuesday session, Mr Zaman said no one could stop the assembly member from entering the House.
“The speaker’s ruling is not valid and we condemned it,” he declared, adding that if any member would be stopped from entering the hall, the entire opposition would stay away from the proceedings.
