KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah told the Sindh Assembly on Monday that it was the charisma of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that the 1973 Constitution was still acceptable to all political parties, including progressive and religious groups.

He was speaking on a resolution submitted by senior provincial minister Nisar Khuhro to observe a ‘Constitution Day’ on April 12 to remember the day 43 years ago when the president gave his assent to the 1973 Constitution.

He said the constitution of any country was an important basic document and there would be no state without a constitution.

Terming Article 6 of the Constitution “the arrow of the Pakistan Peoples Party” which came into action when attempts were made to mutilate it, the CM said that a suggestion made by Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani to remove it from the Constitution was made in anger.

Mr Shah said that two earlier constitutions Pakistan had did not last long, but the 1973 Constitution continued to command faith and respect from all parties even in 2016.

He paid rich tributes to PPP founder Z A Bhutto for giving a unanimous constitution to the country.

Mr Shah, who himself was a member of the constitution committee and one of the signatories to the historic document, claimed that Pakistan’s Constitution was unique and even superior to India’s as besides its Islamic, democratic, federal and parliamentary character, powers were devolved to the lower level to the provinces.

He said that 18th Amendment to Constitution further improved the document as financial powers were also devolved to the provinces.

He said that the Constitution Assembly comprised 135 members and the PPP had the strength of 85 lawmakers. Ten other members had also pledged their support to the PPP, but Mr Bhutto had refused to add a single clause to the draft constitution without a consensus, he recalled.

“When the tiny opposition had boycotted the assembly proceedings, Mr Bhutto was of the view that the constitution is not being made for the PPP or a particular person but for entire population of the country. It was Mir Ghaus Bux Bizenjo who brought back the opposition to the house and all the amendments submitted by the opposition parties were incorporated in the constitution to give the country a unanimous Constitution,” he added.

“We have all respect for the Constitution, which is being implemented accordingly till today except the period of dictators who had suspended it and we launched a long struggle for its restoration,” he said, adding that even one of the dictators had termed the Constitution a mere 12-page book which he could tear whenever he want. “But, what was his fate; he is neither on earth nor in sky,” he said, in a veiled reference to former military dictator Gen Zia-ul-Haq.

He also recalled the role of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who while implementing the Constitution had raised the slogan of “employment for everyone”.

The chief minister said that the country could be governed only through the Constitution and the judiciary also worked under the Constitution and the military dictators also approached courts to remain in power.

After his speech, the resolution was put to the house and adopted unanimously.

It reads: “The assembly resolves to commemorate the glorious day of National pride — the 12th April 1973 when the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan was assented to by President of Pakistan. This house pays tribute to late Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other parliamentarians of that time for giving the nation a constitution unanimously passed in the history of Pakistan.

“The assembly recommends that the Building of this August House — The Provincial Assembly of Sindh be illuminated on 11th and 12th April 2016 to sensitise the public to this auspicious occasion in befitting manner.”

After adoption of the resolution, the house, which was called to order at 11am, was adjourned at 2.20pm for Tuesday by Chairman Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Law and order in Sindh satisfactory, claims minister Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal informed the Sindh Assembly that the law and order situation in the province was much better than the rest of the country and no incident of kidnapping for ransom took place since 2015.

Responding to the call-attention notice of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional lawmaker Syed Muhammad Rashid Shah, he said that during 2015 and 2016 no incident of kidnapping for ransom has occurred. However, in 2014 total 24 persons were kidnapped but all of them were recovered and 14 kidnappers were killed during encounters.

However, Mr Rashdi stood on his seat and termed the answer dissatisfactory.

In response to the call-attention notice of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Syed Khalid Ahmad, Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro said that water theft in Karachi had been stopped.

He said when he assumed office there were 24 hydrants but now only 11 were left in Karachi.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro while responding to the call-attention notice of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Dr Seema Zia informed the house that 35 of the 66 missing vehicles, which were not returned to the government by certain officers who had been transferred, had been traced and taken back, while 31 vehicles were still missing.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2016