KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly is set to hold its first session of the current year on Wednesday (today) amid a demand by the leader of the opposition that the chairman of the provincial public accounts committee (PAC) be appointed from its ranks.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail convened the first winter session of the Sindh Assembly at 3pm.

The order of the day, as shared by the assembly’s secretariat with the media, offers a heavy agenda that also includes announcement of panel of four chairmen and Question Hour.

CM asked to give PAC chairmanship to opposition

Besides, there is a privilege motion filed by Karim Bux Gabol and an adjournment motion notice by PPP’s Nida Khuhro complaining about the federal government not giving priority to the National Finance Commission Award.

The introduction of the Sindh Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and presentation/consideration of the report of a select committee on the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Bill, 2018, are also part of the day’s agenda.

Officials in the legislature, however, said the session could be postponed for a day after offering fateha on the demise of Mohammad Wajahat, an MPA belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who died six weeks ago.

PAC chairmanship

Opposition Leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi has asked the government to make a member from the opposition benches as the chairman of the PAC in addition to nine other standing committees.

Mr Naqvi sent a letter to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday stating: “Keeping [with] the spirit of democracy, the chairmanship of PAC [should] also be given to the opposition.”

He claimed it was agreed earlier between the government and the opposition that chairmen of eight standing committees of the assembly would be nominated from the opposition on latter’s own choice.

He said he had sent a letter vis-à-vis the issue to the chief minister in October in which the opposition had suggested the committees it had chosen to head.

Apart from those eight committees, Mr Naqvi also demanded that the government should also pick opposition members to head the PAC and the Rules of Procedure and Privilege Committee.

“We hope that for the better working and improved efficiency of the assembly, you [CM Shah] would announce the [formation of] standing committees prior to the assembly session on Wednesday,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2019