KARACHI: Opposition not serious, says law minister
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 16: Sindh Law Minister Iftikhar Chaudhry has defended adjournment of the provincial assembly session, claiming that the opposition appeared not serious in resuming the general discussion on an adjournment motion that pertained to water resources.
Addressing a press conference in his chamber after the Friday session, he recalled that senior opposition leaders, including Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, had many a times raised points of order to insist that the house business should be taken up according to the order of the day, as the rules provided for.
“However, when the chair tried to follow the order of the day today, and announced taking up of the second item, which was oath taking by new members, the opposition staged a walkout and did not listen to the chair to restore order, although it was in relevance to the set traditions that new members are administered oath soon after recitation from the Holy Quran.
The minister recalled that it was the opposition that had on December 5 submitted a requisition for the assembly session to discuss water resources.
The government, which accords top priority to this issue, convened the session within 10 days, instead of waiting for the requisition session for 14 days, he said. He further stated that it was because of the importance of the issue that Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim came out with a policy statement and the treasury benches also did not object to the discuss the issue on an adjournment motion moved by an opposition member, Anwar Mehar.
He pointed out that since the general discussion on the issue had been held in a very cordial atmosphere on Thursday, the debate had been given priority over the question hour. However, the same attitude was not adopted by the opposition on Friday. All opposition members were on their feet soon after the oath taking, although the matter could have been raised by any one from among them.
The minister remarked that the opposition insisted on points of order, instead of participating in the debate and this showed how serious it was in discussing the water issue. He said that the role of treasury benches proved positive.
Chaudhry Iftekhar said that the treasury benches also wanted the discussion to continue for the next few days but the chair had to adjourn the session till December 21 owing to the opposition’s attitude.
He said although there was government’s legislation business on the December 21 agenda, the treasury benches would request the speaker to allow the discussion on the water issue first in view of its importance.
