March 07, 2008	Friday	Safar 28, 1429

KARACHI, March 6: The City Council on Thursday again witnessed noisy disturbances when its proceedings were marred by repeated thumping of desks and slogan-chanting by members from both sides of the house, who traded allegations against each other. Instead of debating the persisting electricity crisis seriously, which hit the city on Thursday morning, the members discussed routine matters.

At the outset of the proceedings, some of the members belonging to the opposition and treasury, who described the crisis as the worst ever, insisted that the house take up the issue by bypassing other issues. They also attacked the KESC management for raising the power tariff, thereby further burdening the common man financially.

Opposition leader Sheikh Mehbub of the Awam Dost panel followed by Javaid Jadoon and Ahsan Siddiqui on points of order told the house that the electricity crisis needed urgent attention because it would affect the water supply and sewerage system.

However, taking the floor the Al-Khidmat panel leader Rafiq Ahmed said the issue of unreleased UC funds was equally important, saying that the proposal for constitution of a house committee made by the convener in the last session was not convincing as the city nazim had approved the funds.

He reminded the house that the opposition UC nazims were not being provided uplift funds for the last three fiscal years. As a result, they could not carry out development works in their respective union councils.

Opposition members, including Awam Dost panel leader Saeed Ghani, tried to convince the convener about the urgency of the issue. They were making submissions on the issue when the convener intervened and ruled that there could be no further debate on the subject as she had already explained the city nazim’s stand on the issue, pledging that the funds would be released as soon as they would be made available.

But her arguments did not convince the opposition members who stood up and raised slogans such as “restore the UC fund,” “Stop loot and plunder,” and “End corruption and fake recruitments.”

The convener tried to calm down the protesting opposition members, who refused to listen to her and continued to raise slogans in support of their demands. Thereafter, the convener suspended the proceedings of the house for five minutes.

When the house reassembled, the convener asked the treasury members to submit the resolutions in the house which were part of the agenda.

Being unimpressed by the remarks of the convener, the opposition members continued their protest by thumping desks and raising slogans against what they called “the partial role of the house convener.”

Because of noisy disturbances, there was complete confusion in the house. One could hardly hear the treasury members who were reading the contents of the resolutions. Amidst chaos the house passed five resolutions, mostly pertaining to empress accounts.

Thereafter, the opposition staged a walkout. The convener suspended the proceedings for the second time for half an hour.

The opposition members returned to the house when treasury members started debating the power crisis. However, some treasury members pointed out to the presiding officer Masood Mehmud the quorum problem because several members of the house had not yet returned.

Sensing the lack of quorum, the presiding officer adjourned the session.

Resolutions

A resolution enhanced the empress account of the parks and horticulture department from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000, while another amended the rules of the Sindh Councils (Accounts) Rules Act, 1983, 9(1), increased the empress accounts of CDGO officials from Rs500; for CDGK officials Rs5,000, for town municipal officials Rs3,000 and union council officials Rs2,000.

Through another resolution a committee has been formed to finalize the formalities for public utility charges.

The council also adopted a resolution approving a daily allowance of Rs200 for union council members who attend the UC sessions. The resolution will be applicable from the first UC council meeting.

In a separate resolution, the house enhanced the daily allowance of town council members from Rs200 to Rs365, which will be applicable from the first session of the town council.