KARACHI: There were scenes of protest and rumpus in the Sindh Assembly on Monday until lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and PML-Nawaz boycotted the day’s proceedings for not being allowed out of turn to table a joint resolution against the recent controversial remarks of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief.

Following their walkout, however, the assembly adopted three bills — the Indus University of Health Sciences Bill, 2015, the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Bill, 2014, and The Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill, 2015 — and took up the question hour related to the health department.

The agitating lawmakers were informed by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani that they would be provided an opportunity to move the resolution after the completion of the business of the assembly. By the resolution that carried the signatures of almost all lawmakers of the PML-F, PML-N and PTI, the remarks of MQM chief Altaf Hussain against the national institutions, especially the Pakistan Army, were condemned; his demand for carving out a new province in Sindh was denounced and the provincial and federal governments were requested to initiate a strong legal action against him.

While Sindh Information and Local Bodies Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon termed the MQM leadership remarks unacceptable to any Pakistani, he said Mr Hussain had already clarified his position and realising his mistake also extended an unconditional apology. “This is a good gesture as this apology was also appreciated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and others. Our judiciary, our armed forces and all our institutions deserve respect. Our armed forces are busy in the Zarb-i-Azb operation fighting against terrorists. Our officers and soldiers are embracing martyrdom. Our police, the Rangers, the FC and other law-enforcement agencies along with our armed forces are offering sacrifices for the defence of the country, its borders and people. We offer them our tribute for their great services,” he said.

The minister said respecting all these institutions was our duty and requested everyone to be careful in their selection of words. He also asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to ensure that TV channels do not telecast loose talk or speeches aimed at character assassination by anyone.

Earlier, the speaker called the house in order at 11.20am when it resumed business after a five-day break. Welcoming the newly notified leader of the opposition Khwaja Izharul Hassan, Mr Durrani asked him to take his new seat that was vacated by PML-F lawmaker Shaharyar Khan Mahar with the announcement of the change of the leader of the opposition in the assembly.

As soon as the chair took up the question hour, the lawmakers belonging to the PML-F, PML-N and PTI, rising from their benches told the chair that they wanted to table the resolution out of turn. As the speaker informed them about being given an opportunity after the completion of the business of the assembly, lawmakers Shaharyar Khan Mahar, Nand Kumar, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of the PML-F, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, Sorath Thebo and Shafi Jamote of the PML-N and Samar Ali Khan, Syed Hafeezuddin and Dr Seema Zia of the PTI and other lawmakers from the opposition benches reminded the speaker that there were traditions in the past of tabling resolutions out of turn. While the chair insisted that they take their seat, the agitating lawmakers reached in front of the rostrum of the speaker and started raising slogans.

Despite the chaos, the speaker continued with the question hour and gave floor to MQM lawmaker Mohammad Rashid Khilji who drew his attention towards the rumpus in the house. While the speaker told the agitating lawmakers he would exercise his authority if they did not take their seats, the lawmakers continued raising slogans of shame, shame. As the lawmakers of PPP and MQM members from the opposition benches watched the proceedings silently and the chair continued the business of the house, the protesting lawmakers staged a walkout from the house and boycotted the rest of the proceedings.

Outside the assembly, PML-F lawmaker Shaharyar Mahar briefed the media and distributed copies of the draft of the resolution that reads: “We would like to condemn the remarks passed by Mr Altaf Hussain, the leader of MQM, which are nothing but a call for instigation of violence and terror amongst the masses. Negative propaganda being created against our national institutions especially Pakistan Army is strongly rejected. The demand for new province by dividing the province of Sindh coming from an individual who has been away from Pakistan since more than a decade and is a dual national is also rejected as nothing but a call for national disintegration. We request for strong legal action from the provincial as well as federal government.”

The three bills

As order was restored to the house following the agitation, the assembly carried out legislation business by adopting the three bills.

One of them was related to the Indus University of Health Sciences to be managed and administered by The Indus Hospital. The university shall be open to all persons of either sex, of whatever religion, race, caste, creed, colour, who are academically qualified for admission to the courses being offered, according to the bill. It stated that the moral and ethical codes employed on the university campus affiliated colleges or institutes and the constituent colleges will be based on and derived from the cardinal principles and the guidance embodies in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Besides imparting degrees of medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, the university will also have health management sciences faculties, according to the bill.

Another bill approved by the assembly was the Sindh Workers’ Welfare Fund Bill, 2014 that empowers the provincial assembly to collect workers welfare funds and spend it on the welfare of the workers.

The assembly also adopted The Sindh Finance (Amendment) Bill, 2015 aimed at collecting the capital tax and to generate government revenue by revising rates and to make suitable amendments to the Sindh Finance Act, 2014.

A quarterly report on receipt of the province 2014-15, current revenue expenditure 2014-15, current capital expenditure 2014-15 and development expenditures 2014-15 was also presented in the house.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2015

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