KARACHI, Jan 20: Enraged by the deputy speaker’s ruling to prorogue the Sindh Assembly’s requisitioned session for discussion of water and other contentious issues, the opposition decided to file yet another requisition, probably on Saturday.

This was disclosed by deputy opposition leader Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman of the PPP Parliamentarians in a news conference after the session on Friday.

He accused the treasury benches of running away from core issues and deliberately creating difficulties in discussion by abusing rules on the basis of numerical superiority.

He alleged that in order to avoid discussion on PPP’s agenda and adjournment motions, the government had extracted a ruling from the chair that after recitation and Naat the question hour would be taken up.

But when the session was resumed on Jan 19, the assembly secretariat put the debate on the core issue ahead of the question hour. When that was pointed out, the government accused the opposition of dragging its feet from the debate. The government he alleged was also responsible for the delayed start.

Jameeluzzaman said Irfanullah Marwat and the MQM MPAs had been holding the opposition responsible for the delay; however, the matter was just the opposite.

It was the government, which had sought a long adjournment, until Jan 19, so it could provide copies of the report to members for them to read and come prepared. But that couldn’t be done until today despite several reminders to the assembly secretariat.

Commenting on the MQM’s claim that Altaf Hussain had saved the situation and prevented the construction of Kalabagh Dam, Jameeluzzaman said it was contrary to reality.

He pointed out that Gen Musharraf had announced that the decision on dams was taken by the federal cabinet, of which the MQM was also a part. That decision involved the construction of the KBD and the authoritarian NFC award as well.

Therefore, he claimed that Mr Altaf Hussain’s claim that his indulgence had compelled the government to give up the KBD was misleading and contrary to facts. He pointed out that Gen Musharraf had categorically stated that all dams including the KBD would be constructed by 2016.

Jameeluzzaman also rejected the NFC award announced by Gen Musharraf and said an individual had no such rights. He said Chief Minister Arbab Rahim and provincial minister Sardar Ahmed had stated that they were not consulted.

He also castigated the government for allowing the Americans to kill people on Pakistani soil under the pretext of war on terror. It was termed as surrendering national sovereignty and endangering country’s integrity.

He vowed not to let the regime and the MQM run away from the field and to expose their real face.

MMA’s parliamentary leader Maulana Sadiq claimed that continuation of Gen Musharraf in power was detrimental to the country’s survival as he had allegedly plunged the country into the quicksand of global power politics for his own survival. He accused the regime of deliberately provoking regional, ethnic and other centrifugal sentiments.

He accused the government of running away from discussion of bombardment in Bajaur. He said it also exposed the double standards of the MQM because just a few days back they had showed their flag in public protest against American bombings in Bajaur. But when it came to joint approval of a resolution in the house, they ran away, he said.

Maulana Sadiq said the joint opposition would expose the MQM’s double standards and the role of an agent provocateur’s role.

When Jameeluzzaman was asked how the PPP was now saying that no dam on the River Indus was acceptable when Makhdoom Amin Fahim had stated earlier that there was a consensus on Bhasha, he said the ARD had taken a position. But he could not explain why and how his party was now saying that no dam on river Indus would be acceptable.

He said the opposition in the Sindh Assembly had sought to bring in the Bajaur attack under discussion because it was serious development besides the issues of the KBD and the NFC.

Sassui Palejo slammed the military ruler for questioning the intelligence of the people of Sindh and said the regime should abandon treating smaller provinces as slaves.