KARACHI: Govt slams opposition’s ‘non-serious’ attitude: PA debate on blast
KARACHI, April 17: Provincial ministers said on Monday that the opposition in the Sindh assembly did not adopt a serious posture in the discussion on the Nishtar Park tragedy.
Speaking at a joint press conference after the prorogation of Assembly session, ministers Irfanullah Khan Marwat, Sardar Nadir Akmal Leghari, Chaudhry Iftekhar Ahmed, Rauf Siddiqi and Syed Sardar Ahmed said the government benches continuously offered discussion on the tragedy instead of taking up the opposition’s adjournment motions.
But, they said, the opposition kept on wasting time on other matters of less importance and thus forced the House’s adjournment sine die.
Mr Marwat said whenever the session reached the prorogation stage, the opposition began creating disorder. If they had been serious in discussion, the government side would have continued the session for some more days.
He pointed out everyone expressed grief and sorrow over the Nishtar Park, tragedy, including President Pervez Musharraf and all the people in government.
He recalled that when this tragedy occurred, the assembly was in session and very next day, the session was adjourned to mourn the deaths of sitting MPA Anwar Adil Hingoro and former MNA Hafiz Mohammed Taqi.
He said when the session was resumed on Friday, the opposition was offered to take up their adjournment motions for discussion on Nishtar Park tragedy after suspending the normal business. But, instead, the opposition preferred to take up question hour.
During the course of question hour, he said, MMA’s Hameedullah Advocate moved a motion for suspension of question hour and the treasury benches responded positively and got their adjournment motions admitted and the House remained in session till 12-30 on Friday.
On Monday again, he said, the opposition was offered the suspension of normal business to discuss their adjournment motions, but they preferred to take up normal agenda.
During question hour, they exhibited non-serious attitude and, thereafter, instead of discussing their adjournment motions started speaking on point of orders.
He said they were suggested to hold two-hour discussion on Monday and again on Tuesday and Wednesday. But they did not accept the suggestion and said they would hold only one hour discussion on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In fact, Mr Marwat said, they were not ready for discussion and it is regrettable that they did not show seriousness on an issue which shook the entire world.
Sardar Nadir Akmal Leghari said that right from the beginning, the treasury benches pressed for giving preference to discussion on Nishtar Park tragedy but opposition remained adamant.
He referred to the Sindh Cabinet meeting in which it was decided that report on the tragedy would be put before the Assembly. He said it will be a new tradition.
Ch Iftekhar said that in the discussion on Nishtar Park tragedy, 16 members took park only because of attitude of treasury benches.
He said the opposition raised hue and cry only because they were to get a reply from the government side on their wrong accusations.
Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi also described the attitude of opposition on such a big tragedy as being non-serious and said they were only creating doubts in the people and created a mess when they felt that the government is going to reply to their insinuations.
He said that bomb blast at Nishtar Park was suicidal attack and agencies reached this conclusion on the basis of evidences and scientific investigation.
He said nowhere in the world details of investigations are divulged before its completion.—APP
