KARACHI, March 28: The requisitioned session of the Sindh Assembly by joint opposition, which resumed its business around 10.35 am on Wednesday after a week’s break, was prorogued at 12.07 pm amidst noisy protest by members of the joint opposition.
The Opposition left their seats, moved towards the Speaker’s rostrum raising slogans of shame, shame as Chairman Iqbal Quaderi, who was presiding over the session in the absence of Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah and Deputy Speaker Rahila Tiwana, ignored their protest and announced the 12 bills whose assent was given by the Governor.
The opposition was angry that the chair after the questions hour instead of taking up their privilege motion and adjournment motion which were next item on the order of the day, allowed Mines and mineral Minister Irfanullah Marwat to move the motion under Rule 211 and ignoring their protest carried with majority to take up directly Item No VI skipping over Item No IV and V.
This was the second session requisitioned by the opposition, which was prorogued without consideration of the two motions which were moved to take up for consideration the remarks of chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim against women in politics and rigging in recently held by-elections in Karachi NA -250 and PA -71 Jamshoro, particularly PA-71 in which PPP-MNA Azra Pechuho vehicle was fired upon.
Last Wednesday also the House was adjourned by the chairman when there was uproar scenes in the house as Shazia Marri started reading her privilege motion against the chief minister.
The disruption in the smooth proceedings of the House started soon after the questions hour as Mr Marwat rising from his seat sought permission to move a motion under Rule 112 of the Rules of Procedure seeking suspension of all other business and to take up item No 6 on the order of the day directly.
Item No-6 pertained to announcement by the chair that the Governor had given assent to the bills which were passed by the assembly. This move was opposed by Shazia Marri who was backed by other members on the opposition benches demanding the chair to pursue items as per agenda.
Mr Marwat pointed out to the chair that as he had already moved a motion, it should be taken first before giving the floor to any other member.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who is a former chief minister and senior leader of the opposition, said that the member could seek suspension of a specific rule but he had asked for suspension of different rules.
Mr Marwat said that he had asked for suspension of the relevant rule to allow him to move his motion.
Law Minister Iftikhar Chaudhry said that the motion was moved as Opposition Member Syed Murad Ali Shah was critical of the government for running it through ordinances because the bills were not introduced for non-cooperation of the opposition. In the last session also considering it as our responsibility to announce the bills whose assent was given by the governor before taking up consideration of the privilege motion.
When the chair put the motion of Mr Marwat to vote in the House, all members of the opposition rise from their seat and started noise . However, the chair announced his ruling of carrying the motion with majority and started announcement of the 12 bills which was passed earlier by the assembly and whose assent was given by the Governor.
This created scenes as the opposition leaving their benches started moving towards the rostrum of the speaker raising slogans. The chair after announcing the bills prorogued the session. As he left the House some of the members from opposition in a fit of anger tor the agenda and threw it toward the Sspeaker’s rostrum.
