KARACHI, Dec 13: After a joint candidate of the PPP and the MMA for the post of deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly had remained unopposed when the time for filing of nomination papers expired, the Sindh governor extended the cutaway time.

The act was seen by the two parties as “questionable” and “extra-legal”.

The Secretary, Sindh Assembly, told newsmen at 12.15pm that he had not received nomination papers from any other candidate for the post. The same information was telecast by the various TV channels and creeded by the official news agency.

In an identical situation at the National Assembly, the nomination papers of Aila Malik had not been accepted because she was a few minutes late in arriving.

The election of speaker and deputy speaker would take place on Saturday. Three candidates for the post of speaker and four for deputy speaker have, in all, filed 14 nomination papers.

At the time of scrutiny, PPP and MMA candidates and their colleagues protested over the extension in time and termed it illegal. They said the governor had no such powers. But Jalal Mahmood Shah did not agree with their contention and said the governor’s act was legal.

After the scrutiny, Jalal Mahmood Shah declared that he had found nomination papers of Jam Saifullah Dharejo (fielded jointly by the PPP and MMA), Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah of the PML-F, supported by the GNA and its allies, and Sikandar Mendro, in order.

He also declared that nominations of PPP/MMA candidate, Abdur Rahman Rajput, who was the sole candidate well after the time for filing nomination had expired, were also in order. But he also held the papers of Rahila Tiwana, S.A. Iqbal Qadri and Mohammad Usman Khan Haji, who had filed after the extension of time, as being in order.

The incident showed that the house of ruling party was not in order. Originally, the GNA had kept the slot of deputy speaker for the Natinal Alliance nominee but owing to internal differences over nominee for the top slot, the NA did not file any papers.

But after the time had passed and the assembly secretary had told reporters that only MMA-PPP backed candidate had filed papers, the MQM people rushed in and insisted that they be allowed to file nomination paper. But the secretary was not in his office.

After some time when he returned, they told him that the governor had extended the time and he should get it confirmed.

The People’s Party Parliamentarians chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim deplored the governor’s action, terming it “a horrible and deplorable joke” with the people of Sindh.

On Thursday, the presiding officer of the inaugural session, Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah had announced that under Rule 7 of the Rules of Provincial Assembly of Sindh, nomination papers for the post of speaker and deputy speaker could be obtained from the office until 4pm after the inaugural session. The papers were to be filed with the secretary of the Sindh Assembly up to 12 noon.

However, through a letter No. GS/PA/DS/GS/25/2002, dated 13th Dec, 2002, signed by Aftab Ahmad Khatri, Deputy Secretary to the Governor, the Sindh Assembly Secretary was informed that “the competent authority is pleased to extend the filing of nomination papers of Speaker and Deputy Speaker up to 3pm, 13th December, 2002, due to Juma prayers.” He had also directed to inform all the assembly members accordingly. It did not contain the time when this letter was issued.

Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah also could not specify the time nor the rules under which it was decided. He also had no answer when newsmen reminded him that at about 12.15pm, they were told by the secretary that there was only one candidate for the post of deputy speaker.

Secretary of the Sindh Assembly, Hadi Bux Buriro, at around 12.15pm, had said that for the office of speaker three nomination papers and for the deputy speaker only one nomination paper had been received till 12 noon. It was assumed that PPP-MMA backed candidate, Abdul Rahman Rajput, had won the seat unopposed.

But later, at around 1.45pm, the secretary was handed over three more nomination papers for the office of deputy speaker by Rahila Tiwana of SDA, S. Iqbal Qaderi of MQM and Muhammad Usman of GNA.

When this development came to the knowledge of the MMA and PPP they protested with the secretary of the assembly against the acceptance of the papers after the scheduled time.

However, after half an hour, the MQM representatives were seen looking for the speaker who had left the office. Around 1.45pm, the MQM men returned with a notification, saying that the governor had extended the time till 3pm and handed over the nomination papers.

Jam Saifullah Dharejo, who is PPP-MMA backed candidate for the post of speaker, and according to sources had been offered the top slot by the ruling party if he created a forward bloc in Sindh Assembly, said this was an illegal act as after the induction of the assembly, the governor could not exercise the powers of the assembly and extension in the time was illegal.

Dharejo had refused the ruling party’s offer, saying it was against his conscience and that it would amount to betrayal of his electorate.

PPP’s parliamentary party leader, Nisar Khuhro, referred to rule 7 sub section (iv) of the rule of procedure of the provincial assembly of Sindh, which pertain to the election of the speaker and deputy speaker. He said once the assembly has come into being, the Sindh governor is left with no powers to amend its rules of procedure.

He said they had lodged their written protest with the secretary and would also move the court of law, as, by extending the time, the governor had usurped the rights of the people of Sindh and lost the right to remain the governor, he added.