KARACHI: Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said on Friday that the provincial government had no role in conducting and completing the local government election process and it would be meaningless to talk about the ‘early’ transfer of powers to LG representatives when the institutions were not completed.

He said this in response to a point of order by a Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker while presiding over the assembly session, which resumed after a two-day break one hour behind its schedule of 10am.

After completion of the agenda, the chair provided an opportunity to lawmakers from the both sides of the aisle to raise their pressing issues with regard to the problems of public importance.

MQM lawmaker Saifuddin Khalid highlighted the acute water shortage in Karachi and said that the problem might aggravate in the coming summer because the city was not getting sufficient water as per its requirement.

Recalling the death of hundreds of people in last year’s heatwave, he said the situation might worsen, particularly in areas where the poor did not have proper roofs.

Referring to the Friday Supreme Court order through which it directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold elections for the office of mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and vice chairman through secret ballot within 60 days, the MQM lawmaker asked the chair to direct the provincial government to give powers to LG representatives at the earliest so that they could play their role in mitigating the hardships of the people.

The speaker suggested Mr Khalid to bring a resolution against the ECP as completion of the election process was its responsibility and not of the Sindh government.

Another lawmaker of the same party, Syed Khalid Ahmad, asked the government to take action against ‘terrorists’ who attacked MQM offices in Landhi and beat up party workers.

Home Minister Sohail Siyal informed the house that he had directed the SSP-Korangi to take action against miscreants and a report would be laid before the house within two to three days.

Sindh Transport Minister Mumtaz Jakhrani criticised the water and power development authority (Wapda) for removing 70 per cent transformers from his city, Garhi Khero in Jacobabad, to punish the voters of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional lawmaker Syed Muhammad Rashid Shah Rashdi assured the government that his party would support whatever action it take to control Wapda.

In response to the point of order of PPP’s Mahesh Kumar about recovery of 16-year-old Hindu girl Pirya who was kidnapped from Mithi, Senior Minister Nisar Ahmad Khuhro assured him that a report would be laid in the house on Monday.

Referring to the issue raised by PML-F’s Nand Kumar about amputation of hands and legs of Baby Naeema Khaskheli after doctors administered her a ‘wrong’ injection, Health Minister Dr Mehtab Dahar said that the girl was suffering from “auto immune disease’ which led to gangrene. There was no fault of the doctor, he added.

In response to the call-attention notice of Rana Ansar of the MQM regarding a rape incident, Senior Minister Khuhro said that the government would ensure that the SHO of the Degree police station would not only be dismissed but also given severe punishment for raping a 20-year-old girl.

The privilege motion of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Khuram Sherzaman regarding a severe shortage of water in his constituency and the attitude of the managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board was ruled out of order for being non-maintainable.

After completion of the business and taking point of orders, the speaker adjourned the session at 2.25 pm till Monday morning.

Before adjourning the session, he expressed his gratitude to all those lawmakers who inquired about his health after watching news on TV regarding his visit to a cardiac facility. He said that his visit was a routine check-up and he was quite healthy.

Opposition hails SC verdict

Before the house was called to order, PML-F lawmaker Imtiaz Shaikh and MQM’s Muhammad Hussain Khan told reporters that the verdict of the apex court regarding holding of mayoral elections through secret ballot and not through show of hands was the endorsement of the opposition’s stand.

They demanded that the remaining LG election be held immediately to complete the third tier of government.

Khurram Sherzaman of the PTI asked the provincial government to allow the LG institutions function so that the elected representatives could discharge their responsibilities.

Senior Minister Khuhro and Agriculture Minister Saradr Ali Nawaz Khan Mahar of the PPP also told the media that the Sindh government would fully honour the apex court’s verdict.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2016

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