KARACHI: The issue of water shortage in Sukkur created a pandemonium in the Sindh Assembly on Friday when Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah responding to the repeated demand of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker said they (the MQM) did nothing for Sukkur when they were at the helm of affairs.

In response to the slogan raised by MQM lawmaker Deewan Chand Chaowla “Give water to Sukkur”, the chief minister said the Sindh government was executing a mega project of Rs900 million with Asian Development Bank cooperation to bring overall improvement in Sukkur.

The remarks irritated the MQM lawmaker who through his call attention notice drew the attention of the house to the issue of water shortage in Sukkur city and said the government did not ensure supply of even drinking water in the area.

Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro said this was the job of Northern Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC) that he said worked under the planning and development department. Senior Minister for Finance, Planning and Development Syed Murad Ali Shah, however, said the NSUSC was not a Sindh government department but a private institution.

The statements irritated the MQM legislator who asked if the local government and planning and development department were not answerable to the assembly as to who exactly was responsible to answer his question about water supply to Sukkur.

Without naming the party, the chief minister, however, said when they (the MQM) were at the helm of affairs they did nothing for Sukkur and asked the speaker not to allow the lawmaker to do acting in the house. On these remarks, other MQM lawmakers also rose from their seats and joined in the protest.

While the chief minister regretted over this attitude of the opposition lawmakers, the speaker advised the opposition not to set bad example of interrupting leader of the house.

Senior minister Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said they would not behave in this manner and requested others to let the leader of the house speak. Mr Chowla continued to speak without a pause though the speaker expunged all remarks from the record.

In response to another call attention notice of Syed Amir Haider Shah Sheerazi about non-functioning of cardio ward of the Civil Hospital Thatta, Mr Khuhro said it was operational after a heart specialist, Dr Nazeer Memon, had been appointed there.

MQM lawmaker Saifuddin Khalid drew attention of the house to shortage of lecturers at Govt Girls College at Baba Wilayat Ali Shah, Orangi Town. The education minister informed the house that there were only 32 sudents enrolled in the collge where three professors and one lecturer were appointed.

In response to the call attention notice of leader of opposition Khwaja Izharul Hassan local government minister Jam Khan Shoro informed the house that the heirs of deceased KMC employees were paid dues and during the current year payment was made in 23 cases. In response to the notice of Muhammad Yususf Shawani, the minister informed the house that Karachi-West district was badly suffering from water shortage where water from Karachi-Central district was diverted for three days a week. The government was also considering to install a pump in Hub to supply water to the district.

The house, which was called to order at 11.15am, was adjourned at 1.40pm to meet on Monday at 10am. Before the chair called it a day, it was decided by all the parliamentary parties that there would be no business except budget discussion from Monday till Wednesday.

Earlier, the assembly carried two bills unanimously. One of them — The Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology and Skills Development at Khirpur Mirs Bill — was related to setting up a university. The bill, which was introduced through supplementary agenda after the relaxation of relevant rules, was taken up for consideration soon after its introduction. The assembly also adopted The Sindh Companies Profits (Workers’ participation) Bill as amended by the standing committee on labour and human resources.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2016