KARACHI, Nov 28: Sindh Law Minister Chaudhry Iftikhar on Monday criticized the ‘undemocratic’ and ‘uncalled for’ behaviour of many of the opposition members in the Sindh Assembly during its Monday session. Addressing a press conference at the chief minister’s chamber after the session, along with some other ministers and treasury MPAs, he particularly deplored the behaviour of PPP’s Syed Murad Ali Shah and Ms Sassui Palejo.

“The attitude of these two members was very much against the democratic norms, and was discourteous towards the high office of the speaker,” the law minister said, urging leader of the opposition Nisar Ahmad Khuhro to advise these members to follow the democratic norms and show respect to the speaker.

He said that in view of the Syed Murad Ali Shah’s attitude, Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah was constrained to impose a day’s ban on the opposition member.

The minister said that as a legislator, it was the duty of each member of the assembly to undertake legislation. Keeping this in mind, he maintained, he had moved a motion for putting off the question hour to the next day to facilitate the legislation work.

However, he added, opposition benches protested against the move and created a rumpus.

“People have sent us to the assembly so that we could serve them, resolve their problems and undertake legislation. We want to do substantial work but opposition members are creating hurdles in our way.”

The minister said that the Bill No. 2 of 2005, seeking amendment to the Removal From Service (Special Powers), Sindh, Ordinance-2002, was not at all aimed at hampering the course of seeking justice as services tribunals were there to dispense justice under the constitution. The objective of the proposed amendments was to facilitate the process, he added.

He stated that transfer of powers, for removal service, from governor to the chief minister was sought because the ordinance had been promulgated at a time when an elected government was not in place and the governor was the chief executive of the province.

Chaudhry Iftikhar dispelled the impression that there were any differences between the governor and the chief minister.

Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik said that by creating a rumpus in the house, the opposition members had tarnished the image of the elected representatives.

Mohammad Hussain of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said that the opposition members wanted to hold the house hostage.—APP