KARACHI, Nov 2: The treasury benches in the Sindh Assembly on Thursday appeared serious in taking up legislation business as the house meets at 9am on Friday to start a new session.
The assembly has only 18 days of sittings in the calendar year during which it has to improve its performance after doing no remarkable legislation in the 52 days of sittings.
The mood of the treasury benches reflected from the reported deliberations of the meeting attended by representatives of the partners in the ruling coalition, besides the heavy agenda of 29 items. The order of the day includes laying six ordinances, introducing five government bills and considering another seven government bills.
As against this, the opposition’s mood is evident from its home work on raising pressing issues like, what it claims, “illegal and extra-constitutional moves” with regard to the allotment of two Karachi islands to a Dubai-based builder firm; setting up of committee under the governor (federal representative) to handle matters of the utilisation of Sindh’s lands; as well as flaws in voters’ list and poor relief and rehabilitation work for rain-hit people of Sindh.
As the treasury side seems desperate to take up legislation and the opposition not ready to let the treasury side scuttle discussions on pressing issues, it is likely that the house may witness commotion and this could lead to an abrupt adjournment of the days proceedings till Monday. The joint opposition, before going into the house, will meet in the chamber of the leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for finalising its strategy for the session.
According to the order of the day, the ordinances which will be placed before the House under Article 128(2) (a) of the Constitution are: the Sindh Freedom of Information Ordinance 2006, the Sukkur Institute of Business Administration Ordinance 2006, the Sindh Public Procurement Ordinance 2006, the Sindh Local Government (4th Amendment) Ordinance 2006, the Sindh Development Authorities Law (Revival and Amend) Ordinance 2006; and the Societies Registration (Second Sindh Amendment) Ordinance 2006.
The five government bills which are to be introduced are: the Sindh Province Pension Fund (Amendment) Bill 2006, the NED University of Engineering and Technology (Amend) Bill 2006, the Coastal Development Authority (Amend) Bill 2006, Vocational Training Council Bill 2006, and the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution, Functions and Powers) Bill 2006.
The seven bills to be tabled for consideration are: the Dow University of Health Sciences (Amend) Bills 2005 and 2006, the Sindh Civil Servants Housing Foundation Bill 2005, the Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Bill 2005, the Sindh Disposal of Urban Land (Repeal) Bill 2005, the Sindh Regional Plan Organisation (Repeal) Bill 2006, and the Sindh Prohibition of Manufacturing, Sale and Use of Polythene Bags Bill 2006.
In addition, the house will be informed that the governor had given assent to three bills – the Sindh Water Management (Amendment) Act 2005, the Sindh Animals Slaughter Control (Amendment) Act 2004, and the Sindh Finance Act 2006.The agenda also includes a discussion on the admissibility of a privilege motion submitted Sharfunnisa Leghari against misbehaviour by police during the by-election on PS 75 Dadu –V. Nisar Khuhro’s adjournment motion on voters’ list is also on the order of the day. The question hour pertains to Auqaf, Zakat and Ushr departments.
The two government resolutions, which are on the agenda, pertain to evolving a National Disaster Management System and amending the Seed Act 1976, to be moved by the provincial law minister.
