KARACHI, March 5: The Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro has criticised the decision of Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah of adjourning the session on Monday soon after recitation from Holy Quran and Naat, saying the formality of holding the session was met to cover the number of working days.

It would have been better if members were allowed to speak on the message and works of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and pay him tributes, he said.

He said the opposition had come prepared with a resolution in this regard but with the sudden adjournment of the House the chair had deprived them of moving the resolution.

Mr Khuhro said if holding the session was only to meet the formality of the chair’s ruling of adjournment, it was within the Speaker’s jurisdiction even on Saturday to put off the session till Tuesday. However, Rs1.5 million were wasted on Monday’s session without transaction of any business in the House.

He also criticised the attitude and language used by Chief Minister Arbab Rahim regarding the political role of women. He said the CM seemed to have forgotten that he was also the head of the Sindh chapter of Pakistan Muslim League. He asked the CM to remember that women in politics had played outstanding role like Madar-i-Millat Fatima Jinnah, Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto, late Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, Begum Hasina Wajid, Begum Khalida Zia, Begum Bandaranaike and etc.

He said a notice under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure was given to move the privilege motion under Rule 58. Later, copies of the motion were distributed among journalists which reads as under:

“I move that the Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim has breached my privilege as a member of this August House by using bigoted remarks against women in politics. Mr Rahim, who is also the provincial President of PML-Q has insinuated in a statement that any woman who comes into public life is fair game to harassment by men and therefore they should remain at home.

Such derogatory statement is a blatant violation of the constitution of Pakistan which guarantees participation of women in all spheres of national life. A motion submitted under Rule 179 condemned the bigoted remarks by the chief minister and demanded that Mr Rahim should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution for his flagrant disregard and blatant violation of the sacred document.