HYDERABAD: Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani has reaffirmed that the lawmakers who tore off the book containing the rules of procedure of the house will not be spared.

“Action will sure be taken against the four members of the assembly who had torn the book while the house was in session,” Mr Durrani told a questioner while speaking to journalists at the relaunch of a book Adalat Adawat here late on Saturday evening.

During the April 7 deliberations, the then leader of the opposition Shaharyar Mahar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) along with his some other party colleagues tore off the book and tossed its pages into the air in a fit of anger after he was not allowed by the chair to speak on certain issues. The house had censured the errant MPAs and the treasury benches called for action against them.

Mr Durrani said that the lawmakers had been asked to tender an apology but they did not do so. “References against them have been prepared,” he said, adding that nobody could be allowed to disrespect the assembly.

He said that he has been doing his best to maintain a congenial atmosphere in the house by taking along the treasury and opposition benches according to the rules of the house.

In reply to a question, he expressed his optimism about a people-friendly provincial budget to come and said Syed Murad Ali Shah was a competent finance minister.

Earlier, speaking at the ceremony, he appreciated the literary and academic contributions of Agha Shaha­buddin, the author of Adalat Adawat. Comprising articles in Sindh language on the judiciary crisis, the book was published in 2008 and relaunched on the autor’s 4th death anniversary.

Sindh United Party chief Jalal Mehmood Shah noted that academician and burea­ucrat Agha’s family had been launching a book every year on his death anniversary. Mr Shah also shed light on the book as well as Agha’s contribution towards promotion of the local government system. He said Agha was a researcher and thinker.

Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Latif Palijo said that Agha always respected views of others and gave them a patient hearing. He said youth of Sindh possessed great talent and were keen to contribute to all fields of nation building but the federal and provincial governments were ignoring them.

Former Sindh University vice chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, eminent sch­olar Hameed Sindhi, social activist Zulfiqar Halepoto and others also spoke.

Shields and cash prizes were given to several distinguished persons for their commendable works in literature and other fields.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2015

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