KARACHI: The very last private members’ day of the current Sindh Assembly term, mainly meant for taking up opposition lawmakers’ proposed legislations and resolutions, was marred by the lack of quorum on Tuesday.

Agha Siraj Durrani, who began the proceedings of the assembly with a delay of nearly two hours apparently to get maximum numbers of lawmakers in the house, was visibly irked to find only five members on both sides of the aisle in the house.

Expressing grave displeasure over the absence of members, he said that only five members had turned up to the house despite the fact that proceedings had started with a delay of one hour and 55 minutes.

He adjourned the house to Thursday.

It may be noted that the members of the Pakistan-Tehreek-i-Insaf have not been attending the assembly sessions since May 9 violent incidents.

Business on agenda

The assembly agenda on Tuesday had an extensive business, including consideration of two bills forwarded by Opposition Leader Rana Ansar and Grand Democratic Alliance’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi.

Besides, there were two resolutions, one submitted by lone Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPA Syed Abdur Rasheed and the other by Mr Jatoi, on the agenda.

The MMA member’s resolution said that the K-Electric had been carrying out loadshedding for 16 hours in Lyari and people were also bearing the brunt of ‘excessive’ billing by the city’s lone power utility. He demanded from the provincial government to stop the KE from this ‘highhandedness’.

Arif Jatoi’s resolution read: “This assembly is of the opinion and does resolve to strongly recommend to the government to approach the federal government that as originally Sui region, Balochistan, used to supply 90 per cent of the gas in Pakistan, therefore Sui Southern Gas Company was named as such. As now Sindh provides 80 per cent of the gas in Pakistan, as a mark of recognition for Sindh’s huge contribution to the national economy, SSGS may be renamed as Sindh Gas Company.”

As many as seven starred questions pertaining to Auqaf, Zakat and Ushr department were there on assembly agenda for replies from the relevant minister.

Parliamentary secretary for Auqaf, Zakat and Ushr department Heer Soho, was, however present in the house to answer the lawmaker’s written and verbal queries during the Question Hour.

Besides, there were 16 motions for leave to introduce as many amendments to the Rules of Procedure, Provincial Assembly of Sindh, 2013.

The amendments were submitted by Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sadia Javed, Kulsoom Akhtar Chandio, Heer Soho, Syed Farukh Ahmed Shah and Syed Aijaz Hussain Shah, and Opposition Leader Rana Ansar.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2023