November 07, 2006	Tuesday	Shawwal 14, 1427

KARACHI, Nov 6: Leader of Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmad Khuhro has said that treasury benches and the speaker appeared trampling the sanctity of the assembly during the session on Monday.

Mr Khuhro, who was addressing a press conference soon after adjournment of the session in his chamber, said that they would not allow anyone to trample the sanctity of the assembly.

He said that they should have set a good tradition by demonstrating their incompetence in meeting the challenge of the dengue fever whose notice was taken by the federal government and even the prime minister reprimanded the provincial and the city governments for failing to overcome the epidemic.

He said when attention of the house was drawn towards dengue spread the speaker deferred it saying that the matter could not be deliberated upon as the health minister’s wife was hospitalised.

Recalling the practice in vogue, he said that a number of times when the minister concerned was not present in the house, other ministers were assigned to respond to the questions.

“Today, local government and law ministers were present and it was in the knowledge of everyone that a resolution was moved regarding fatal dengue virus and anyone could be assigned to answer the questions,” he said.

He asked if the speaker’s ruling meant that he could not help if people died from the fatal virus until the health minister was present in the house.

Nisar Khuhro said that Rafique Engineer had tried to remind the speaker of the rules saying that there was no mention in the Rule 211 that such important issue like dengue virus could not be raised through a motion. Second time he had reminded the speaker when the law minister was moving the motion.

Mr Khuhro castigated the government saying that the earthquake had jolted last year and now it was second winter but so far no laws were made for disaster management by the federal government. He asked if there was article in the Constitution that the federal government could not make any law until provincial assemblies passed the resolutions. He said in view of the urgency of the situation the opposition had submitted a bill for creating disaster management system in the province only to suggest that if the parliament was sleeping over, the Sindh assembly could make the necessary law. But the provincial government did not paid heed to the bill then, he added.

He alleged that the speaker had established his writ by suspending Rafique Engineer for one day from the assembly session on the chief minister’s instructions. He said why only Rafique Engineer was targeted while all opposition members were standing.

Mr Khuhro said that the bills moved by the opposition had been pending for years while the government bills instead of sending them to the relevant committees were taken up for consideration. When Rafique Engineer exercised his right to protest over it he was singled out.