November 14, 2006	Tuesday	Shawwal 21, 1427

KARACHI, Nov 13: The Sindh Assembly session on Monday passed a government bill, the Sindh Civil Servants Housing Foundation Bill-2005, into law with majority vote.

The house, which witnessed peaceful proceedings in a cordial atmosphere, also admitted an adjournment motion moved by leader of opposition Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for discussion on Wednesday. The motion pertained to the plight of rain-hit people of rural Sindh.

Law Minister Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry told the house that the government had provided every possible relief to those who had suffered losses due to the devastating rains and it had been taking other measures for the rehabilitation of the affected families. However, he added, if Mr Khuhro wanted to discuss the matter, the treasury had no objection.

Accordingly, the motion was fixed for discussion as the last item on agenda for Wednesday.

Mr Khuhro requested the chair to allow discussion on one of his two adjournment motions, one on the issue of twin Islands and the other on anomalies in the preparation of new electoral rolls, out of turn by relaxing the relevant rule.

Referring to the treasury benches’ views against his contention, Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah did not oblige the opposition leader.

The law minister had opposed the motion to be taken up out of turn and had suggested putting it off for the day. Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman then suggested that the session be adjourned for five minutes so that the opposition could convince the treasury on the urgency of the matter.

The house was adjourned for five minutes but when the session resumed, the law minister said that the treasury was not convinced. Ms Shazia Marri of PPP said that instead of Tuesday, which is a private members’ day, the motion be taken up on Wednesday. The chair accepted the suggestion.

Later, the law minister moved a motion for the consideration of the government bill No.13 of 2005, regarding setting up of the Sindh Civil Servants Housing Foundation.

During a discussion on it, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Munawwar Ali Abbasi and Shazia Marri of PPP proposed some amendments to the bill to remove some ‘flaws’ and called for sending the proposed amendments to the select committee. Ms Marri advised the treasury benches to improve the bill so that it could be adopted unanimously by the house.

The speaker recalled the experience of referring the bills to committees, and said that except the one on health, that had sent its report regarding the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences, no other committee had done any work so far.

He pointed out that at least six bills were pending before the committees for six to 10 months. He asked members of all select committees to contribute to legislation by completing their work as quickly as possible.

Senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad opposed the proposed amendments, maintaining that in every Act, there was a provision for changing rules and regulations at any stage.

Mr Khuhro said that the bill did specify the grades of the officials entitled to benefit from the foundation.

When the bill was taken up clause by clause, Syed Murad Ali Shah and Shazia Marri proposed amendment to the clause-iii suggesting that the civil servants’ houses in government colonies be allotted to them at the time of their retirement.

This was opposed by the law minister saying that it was not feasible and their successor would also need to be accommodated in the same houses, built near the secretariat.

Mr Shah and Ms Marri also proposed an amendment calling for the inclusion of three MPAs on the board of directors of the foundation. The amendments, including the one proposed by MMA leader Nasrullah Shaji, were put to vote but the house rejected all of them with majority.

Later, the house passed the bill into law with majority.

The speaker then adjourned the session at 3.50pm till 10am on Tuesday.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)