KARACHI, June 27: The Sindh Assembly adopted the Finance Bill-2006 on Tuesday, in the absence of the opposition, with voice vote of the treasury benches, legalizing the new Sindh budget of Rs193 billion.
Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim, who entered the House after approval of the demands for grants for 2006-07, addressed the House before Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah read out the order of Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad to prorogue the session.
Earlier, when Senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad was asked by the chair to present the schedule of authorised expenditure for 2006-07, the opposition members, raising slogans against the budget and demanding withdrawal of false cases against members and leader of the opposition, staged a walkout to boycott the remaining proceedings.
The opposition, which could not participate on Monday in the discussion on supplementary budget because of start of session at 9.45am, ensured its presence in time on Tuesday.
At the outset, the law minister rose from his seat to move a motion to defer the Question Hour and take up the discussion and voting on the demands for grants for the year 2006-07. But on the insistence of the opposition, the chair allowed them to raise their points of orders on water shortage in Sindh, supplementary budget and denial of their right to participate in the general discussion on budget.
Leader of the opposition Nisar Khuhro also pointed towards an anomaly in the order of the day of Monday in which the privileged motion, submitted by women MPAs from opposition, was missing.
The speaker recalled that as the house was not in order on June 22 and 23 due to presence of those four members of the opposition who had been suspended, he had only two options either to implement his ruling by calling sergeants-at-arm to throw them out and create scene for scuffle or to maintain dignity of the House by adjourning the session.
He said as far the supplementary budget was concerned, when it was taken up on Monday, despite being repeatedly asked, no member in the House expressed the desire to participate in the debate.
He also pointed out that since 1996 till to-date no privileged motion had been enlisted in the order of the day during budget session. However, if you feel to take up an urgent privileged motion, you should seek permission from the House and if the House allows you, he had no objection.
Shazia Marri said they were expecting some action from the chair as two other incidents, which had taken place one-and-a-half year ago, were also brought to his notice, but he did not provide relief to women members.
The speaker said he had reprimanded the member and the matter was resolved. However, if leader of the opposition and leader of the house decide about seating arrangement and if women agree to sit in the last row, he had no objection.
Humera Alwani suggested strict enforcement of the code of conduct instead of suggesting the women members to sit in the last row.
Rafique Engineer said Rs7.2 billion supplementary budget for 2005-06 was not discussed in the House.
The speaker ruled it out saying it was not a point of order, nor it was a matter of the violation of the Constitution.
Earlier, after taking up a few point of orders, the chair asked the senior minister to make motion for discussion and voting on demand for grants for the year 2006-07.
He suggested that because there were 411 cut motions as against 59 demands for grants, all cut motions be clubbed together into one and two to three members may be allowed to speak.
This was opposed by the leader of the opposition. The speaker said as against the Demand No 1, there were 166 cut motions, which was the highest number.
This demand pertains to organs of state (excluding law department and others) in which demands for grants to the chief minister’s House, particularly the entertainment allowance, gifts and setting up pilot office and purchase of assets were criticised.
Those who moved and spoke on their cut motions were Humera Alwani, Shjazia Mari, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, Sassui Palejo, Anawar Khan Mehar, Nasrullah Shaji, Rafique Engineer, Dr Sikandar Mandro, Ms Sharfunnisa Leghari, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Hameedullah Khan, Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Abdul Qadir Soomro, Mohammad Yunus Barai, Nawab Ali Wasan, Ms Shama Arif Mithani, Syed Javed Hussain Shah, Saira Shaliayani and Irfan Ali Shah.
However, all cut motions were rejected and the demand was granted by a majority of votes.
The Demand No 1 followed demand No 14 which pertained to allocations for the police establishment. On this demand, eight members were allowed to move their cut motions and speak.
They flayed allocation of a huge amount of Rs 18 billion for the police which had failed to improve law and order situaiton.
They referred to high profile murders of Mufti Shamzai, Murad Baloch, Munawwar Hussain Suhrawardi, and others.
KARACHI, June 27: The Sindh Assembly adopted the Finance Bill-2006 on Tuesday, in the absence of the opposition, with voice vote of the treasury benches, legalizing the new Sindh budget of Rs193 billion.
