KARACHI, Nov 11: The Sindh Assembly in its second session on Tuesday discussed a private resolution presented by Heer Ismail Soho of the Muttahida Quami Movement requesting the provincial government to treat Karo-kari as culpable homicide. However, the matter will be discussed on Wednesday.
The resolution says: “This House is of the opinion that the murders committed in the name of Karo-kari be treated to be culpable homicide under Section 302 PPC and recommend the government of Sindh to approach the federal government to amend Section 302 PPC accordingly.”
The House also granted permission to discuss the joint motion moved by the leader of the opposition, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, and the law minister, Iftikhar Chaudhry, on law and order in Sindh. The speaker fixed Friday for a discussion on the law and order motion from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
After serious discussion and arguments presented by Qaim Ali Shah and other members the matter was put off till Wednesday morning.
Mr Shah suggested the resolution might be amended, adding that approaching the federal government was not required as crime fell in the concurrent list and Sindh could formulate its own laws in this regard.
However, the speaker suggested that he move a motion regarding his amendments but informed him that an amendment at the national level was more fruitful as it would be applied in all the four provinces.
Sindh law minister Chaudhry Iftikhar opposed the amendment by Qaim Ali Shah on grounds that there would be contradictions in laws at the provincial level and at the federal level.
Mr Shah’s motion was rejected in the House by 56 to 44 following which three motions were presented by Dr Saeeda Malik.
Members belonging to both sides agreed that the three amendments presented by Dr Saeeda Malik formed a separate resolution that must be evaluated before approval, whereupon the speaker called on both sides to name members of a committee to look into the matter.
Members from the treasury side are Chaudhry Iftikhar, Nadir Akmal Leghari, Heer Soho, Mohammod Hussain, Dr Saeeda Malik, Sarder Ahmed, Manzoor Panwar, and Ghulzar Unar.
However, Nisar Khuro did not announce the names from the opposition side.
QUESTION HOUR: The government behaved in a very non- serious manner in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday when it refused to answer some innocuous question raised by lawmakers during the question hour.
On the private members’ day, it was the turn of the culture and sports minister to respond to questions and supplementaries.
Abdullah Murad of the PPP Parliamentarians had asked about the procedure for registration of football clubs in the city, their names and their total number. He had also asked whether the government had built any sports complex in the defunct Malir district during the last 10 years.
He wanted to know what measures had been taken to coach football, cricket and hockey players in Karachi during the last five years.
Mr Aziz Ahmad Jatoi wanted to know the name and amount given to folk artistes as a financial grant by the Sindh government.
Answers to none of these questions were provided. When the opposition took exception to this, Senior minister Syed Sardar Ahmad informed the House that this matter would be discussed in a cabinet meeting on Nov 15.