Reading out the contents of the resolution, he said: “We stand by it”.
“Whether we are in the opposition or in the power, we will protect the rights of the people of Sindh”, he said, adding water and all issues relating to it were important to the coalition government.
The minister was speaking from the treasury side after the mover of an adjournment motion, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, made his point very effectively, seeking discussion on the motion instead of resumption of a debate on its admissibility.
In the adjournment motion, the PPP stalwart stated that the House should discuss the failure of the government to pursue the two resolutions adopted unanimously by the assembly against the construction of the Thal canal.
Referring to the motion in which the Sindh government was mentioned as a weak government, Syed Sardar Ahmed, said that neither the coalition government in Sindh was a weak government, nor it had failed to pursue the matter.
Recounting the steps taken, so far, by the Sindh government from the date the first joint resolution was adopted on Feb 28, he said that the resolution was received by the irrigation department on March 12, and on the very next day, it was submitted to the chief minister for his approval, while its approved summary was sent to the law department on March 22 which was subsequently sent to the federal cabinet secretariat on March 24.
Syed Sardar Ahmed was on his feet, when Speaker Muzaffar Hussain Shah called it a day at 1.35 pm am as treasury benches were opposed to the extension in the time for the PA session.
Earlier, after the question hour when the Speaker reserved his ruling on a privilege motion by Ghulam Qadir Chandio, the adjournment motion on Thal Canal was taken up.
When Speaker asked the law minister, Iftikhar Chaudhry, whether Syed Qaim Ali Shah be allowed to move his motion out of turn, he opposed it. On this, Qaim Ali Shah, on a point of order, reminded the chair that the motion had already been moved on Monday and it was mutually agreed that its admissibility and discussion would be taken up on Tuesday.
Highlighting the importance of the motion, Mr Shah said that entire Sindh had stood up against the Thal canal as protest rallies were being held in every part of the province and these were being attended by thousands of people. But the provincial government had failed to pursue the two resolutions adopted by the House unanimously.
On the contrary, some members of the Sindh government and the federal government have given statements in support of the Greater Thal Canal, he said.
Criticizing the Sindh and the federal governments, he said they were violation of the Constitution. “Will you call it a democracy?
He said he was unable to understand why the treasury side was technically trying to evade the issue.
Mr Qaim Ali Shah read out Articles 153 and 155 of the Constitution which pertained to the Council of Common Interests and complaints of interference with water supplies respectively.
He said that under Article 155: “If the interests of a province, the federal capital or the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or any of the inhabitants, thereof, in water from any natural source of supply have been or are likely to be affected prejudicially by:
(a) any executive actor legislation taken or passed to be taken or passed, or
(b) the failure of any authority to exercise any of its powers with respect to the use and distribution or control of water from that source, the federal government or the provincial government concerned may make a complaint in writing to the council.
Interrupting Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Provincial Minister Imtiaz Shaikh made a statement assuring the people of Sindh that the interests of the province would be safeguarded.
He said that the resolutions had signature of all the members of the Sindh Assembly and the Sindh government had discharged its obligation by sending it to the federal government.
Before the senior minister’s speech, the House was adjourned for Zuhar prayers at 12.45 pm. When proceedings resumed after the break, Qaim Ali Shah read out rule 73, 75-A of the Rules of Business and said had the adjournment motion been in contravention of any of the clauses of rule 73, the Speaker should have disallowed it in his chamber. But as he did not reject it and allowed to submit it, it was in order.
“Let the people of Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan know what ultra-constitutional measures are being taken,” he said.
Leader of the opposition Nisar Khuhro, whose adjournment motion was on No-1 and was identical in contents but could not be taken up because of his absence from the House on Monday, asked the chair to allow him to move the motion, but he failed to convince the chair.
As usual the session started 50 minutes behind schedule at 9.30 am with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by Naat. Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, speaker of the assembly was in the chair.
At the outset, Abdul Rehman Rajput speaking on a point of order drew the attention of the chair towards police high-handedness in Hyderabad, and quoted an example of a trader Ali Ahmad who was implicated in a bomb blast case to extort money.
He accused the police of indulging in bomb blasts and hauling up innocent people, and demanded an inquiry.
The speaker asked the law minister to find out facts and inform the member.
Mr Abdullah Murad, Mr Yunus Barai and Mr Nasrullah Shaji rising on point of orders separately criticized the helplessness of the police to check theft of reti-bajri in Gadap despite a ban.
Minister Osman Malkani said that efforts were being made to check the mafia operating there.
Mr Hameedullah spoke about increasing vehicles thefts in Karachi and said in the past one week, 61 cars and 65 motorcycles had been taken away. He said that the crime continues to take place despite spending huge amounts on police and rangers.
Humera Alwani in her point of order sought extension in admission date in medical colleges as the Hyderabad Board of Intermediate Education had not supplied marksheet to students.
Mr Rafique Engineer and Hafiz Naeem also spoke.
QUESTION HOUR: The Tuesday’s questions hour turned out to be an affair of embarrassment for treasury benches as minister in charge Shoaib Bokhari failed to satisfy the members who put supplementary questions.
Saira Shahlani, whose question number was 261 was informed that during the year 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively 8, 25 and 42 persons were kidnapped in Jacobabad district.
In her supplementaries as to how many of them have so far been released, and how many police posts have been set up on borders along Sindh and Balochistan to check the influx of criminals, the minister said that the questions be furnished fresh or promised to provide the answer in the next sitting.
Although Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah left the House at 11.05 am and the chair was occupied by deputy speaker Rahila Tiwana, the House proceedings were marred in the din of protest by the opposition benches who had reservation on her election as the deputy speaker and was challenged in the court.
Those who asked supplementary questions on Tuesday were Ayaz Soomro, Nisar Khuhro, Humera Alwani, Abdul Quddous, Sharfun Nisa, Saira Shahliani, Rumesh kumar, Fareeha Razzaque haroon, Kulsoom Nizamani, Asar Das and Qamar Mansoor.