KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday called for making public the report of an investigation team formed by the government on the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
This demand was made in a resolution, moved by Ghulam Mujadid Isran, a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, after the suspension of all relevant rules under Rule 211.The resolution reads:
“This assembly resolves and recommends to the provincial government to approach the Federal Government through ministry of interior, Islamabad to publish the investigation report regarding assassination of Shaheed Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto and that the report be made public forthwith.”
Before the resolution was adopted, Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro asked if any member wanted to speak on the resolution. But as the resolution was self-explanatory, the resolution was taken as moved by all members of the house.
Another matter out of agenda which attracted the house attention was a row between Khwaja Izharul Hasan of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Amanullah Mehsood of the Awami National Party over alleged remarks of ANP leader Ilyas Bilour.
Mr Hasan was referring to remarks made by Mr Bilour in a TV programme, where he reportedly confessed to awarding a senate ticket to the man who had reined in the MQM in Karachi. “This is a confessional statement which calls for an immediate action by the authorities and condemnation by all,” he said and added that a person could not be made a senator for the massacre of people.
Mr Mehsood on a point of order said Mr Hasan should not have raised such an issue in the assembly which could endanger the peace in Karachi. The language used by Syed Faisal Sabzwari at a press conference about ANP leaders should also not have been used.
Speaker Khuhro said a point of order was not a matter of debate. He said one should be cautious in the choice of words.
Responding to a point of order of Munawwar Ali Abbasi, Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq said the government was not going to interfere in the affairs of Sindh University, where some employees had made senior teachers hostage and were not allowing them to carry out educational activities.
He said at a recent meeting held in the Governor's House and attended by the chief minister it was decided that whatever measures the vice chancellor would take to restore the educational atmosphere would be endorsed by the government.
Minister Rafique Engineer drew the attention of the house towards the KESC employees' children standing on roads and complaining that their parents had no money to pay their school and college fees.
He deplored that the KESC management despite having held talks with its employees, the speaker, governor and chief minister had failed to resolve the dispute.
Earlier, Dr Sikander Mandhro, Jam Tamachi Unnar, Shama Mithani and Muzammil Qureshi were nominated by the speaker as members of a panel of chairmen that would preside over assembly meetings in the absence of the speaker and the deputy speaker.
A privilege motion of Syeda Marvi Rashdi about an “indifferent attitude” of Education Secretary Siddique Memon was also taken up.
Two ordinances laid before the assembly pertained to Sindh Ordinance No 1 of 2012 – The land acquisition (Sindh amendment) ordinance, 2012, and Sindh Ordinance No 2 of 2012 — The establishment of the office ombudsman for the province of Sindh (Amendment).
The speaker also announced that the governor had approved 'The Sindh Sales Tax on Services (Amendment) Bill, 2011', and 'The Sindh Public Property (Removal of encroachment) (Second amendment) Bill, 2011'.
On a suggestion of Law Minister Ayaz Soomro that the session of Tuesday be put off for Wednesday as Tuesday was the last date for the filing of nomination papers for the senate election, the speaker called it a day at 2.05pm to reassemble on Wednesday, which would be a private members' day in lieu of Tuesday.
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