KARACHI, March 5: The Sindh Assembly on Monday resumed its sitting only to be adjourned for Tuesday. Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussian Shah, who presided over the session, called the house in order around 11.15am. After recitation from Holy Quraan and Naat, the chair announced that the house was being adjourned as a mark of respect for Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, as the government had declared public holiday on his 263rd Urs. Soon after the announcement, the chair left the house.

Later talking to a group of journalists in his assembly chamber, Mr Shah said as the government notification declaring Monday as a public holiday was received in the assembly secretariat when the house was already adjourned by the chair. Therefore, he said, after consultation with leader of the opposition, it was decided that the house would met on Monday as it would be difficult for them to inform individual members about Latif Day holiday.

Now the house would resume its business on Tuesday which was a private members day, the speaker said and added that balloting for private resolutions would be held on Monday afternoon to include them in the order of the day.

At 2pm, the balloting was held and five resolutions were drawn, which were made part of the agenda accordingly. The first two resolutions drawn were No 85 and No 84, whose notice was given by MPA Dr Sikander Ali Mandhro and Abdul Qadir Soomro belonging to opposition, pertained to regularisation of 550 ad-hoc teachers and law and order situation in Sindh respectively.

The later two resolutions No 83 and No 82 whose notice was given respectively by Syed Murad Ali Shah and Muhammad Abbas Jaferi pertained to the establishment of cooperative courts at each district headquarters and reduction in prices of life saving drugs while the last resolution drawn was No 60, whose notice was given by opposition MPA Shamim Ara Panhwar, was about the prices of essentials commodities.

The other items on the order of the day included privileged motion of Rafique Engineer, adjournment motion of Nisar Ahmad Khuhro and motion for leave to withdraw the private bill No 13 of 2004 whose notice was given by Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Besides, notices given by opposition members for introduction of 12 private bills, there were four motions moved by opposition members regarding gang rape, sexual abuse and torture to Nasima Labano, firing and murderous attack on Dr Azra Pechuho and to check reckless driving throughout the province.