KARACHI, Sept 20: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday failed to take up any of the main items on the order of the day for which the opposition had requisitioned the session. It however, took up the questions hour and adopted a unanimous resolution condemning the speech of Pope Benedict.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, who was presiding over the session, adjourned the house at around 2pm after the proceedings that lasted for two hours. Declaring that Thursday would be another private members’ day, he regretted “if you had come on time, a major portion of the agenda would have been be covered after the question hour.” He pointed out that the government side was reluctant to stay beyond 1.30pm but if the house had started proceedings at 11.30am (two hours behind scheduled time of 9.30 am) no time could be left to take up regular business.

Nisar Khuhro rising on a point of order drew attention of the chair that no business was transacted on Tuesday, which was a private members day because the house was adjourned as a mark of respect for late member Agha Tariq. Besides, he said that another private members day was due from the budget session.

The speaker said Thursday was declared as private members day only as a compensation for Tuesday. “But if the members, particularly opposition, who had requisitioned the session, would turn up after 11am, how it was possible to transact substantive business,” the speaker reminded.

Earlier, when the house reassembled at 1.50pm after Zuhr break, Irfanullah Khan Marwat asked the chair to adjourn the session for tomorrow as most of the members from treasury benches had left for a meeting with a parliamentary delegation from Islamabad.

Rising from her seat Sassui Palejo regretted that substantive motions had been submitted to discuss the issue of assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti, preparations of new voters lists and the post-rain situation in interior Sindh but the government side was trying to evade it.

MMA’s Hameedullah sought the permission to move a resolution out of turn to condemn Pope Benedict for hurting the sentiments of Muslims world over. Law Minister Chaudhry Iftikhar said that he was not opposed to the resolution but wanted a joint resolution on the subject. Muhammad Hussain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement joined the resolution from the treasury sides. Leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said that he had also submitted a similar resolution in the secretariat which should also be clubbed together. The speaker allowed them to move a joint resolution.

All three members Hameedullah, Muhammad Hussain and Nisar Khuhro read out the resolution which was adopted with consensus of the house. The resolution condemned the Pope Benedict not only for his remarks against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but also for ridiculing the philosophy of Jehad and Islam. It demanded unqualified apology from the Pope who had attempted to create a rift among Muslims and Christians.

Earlier, the speaker affirmed oath to the newly elected member from District Dadu Sajeela Leghari of PML-Q who was elected in the recent by-elections on the seat fallen vacant on the death of her husband.

Meanwhile, the press corps staged a token walkout from the press gallery against victimization of journalists in Islamabad, Lahore, Frontier and interior of Sindh.

The journalists held a meeting in the press committee room, who were joined by Yunus Barai of MMA and Nisar Khuhro, leader of opposition, one after the other. They expressed solidarity with the protesting journalists.

Assuring full support to their cause, they appealed them not to prolong their protest as today was private members day.