As the proceedings commenced, with Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah in the chair, the House resumed the debate on fixing of sugarcane procurement price, start of the next crushing season and the row between the growers and mill owners on these issues as well as payment of arrears and premium to the farmers.
Ghulam Qadir Chandio of the PPP, on a point of order, insisted that there was no point in debating the matter further as the federal government had decided to delay the commencement of the crushing season till November 30.
They decision appeared contrary to that of the Sindh government which had fixed the date as November 15. Though not yet notified, the federal government’s decision has put the Sindh government in an embarrassing situation.
At the outset of the debate, Dr Hamida Khuhro contended that the federal government’s decision was tantamount to infringing upon the provincial autonomy. She demanded that the federal finance minister should appear before the assembly and satisfy the House on the extraordinary decision. She said that instead of debating the sugarcane issue now, it should be decided that what were the parameters of the provincial assembly and the provincial government and whether federal government had the right to interfere in the provincial matter. “It is the question of provincial autonomy,” she stressed.
Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi of the PPP said the discussion in the House on the matter was meaningless after the federal government’s ‘cruel joke’ with the provincial government. He said that the federal government’s move had undermined credibility of the House and the provincial government’s decisions.
Treasury member Ali Bakhsh alias Pappoo Shah said the sugarcane crisis had created a lot of problems for the Abadgars and the people of Sindh. He said that it was a provincial matter and should be decided by the provincial government.
Later, when Mr Mohammad Hussain was presiding over the proceedings in the absence of Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Hamidullah Khan of the MMA said the late commencement of the crushing season would not only affect growers but also put strain on consumers of sugar which might become costlier due to the delay. He regretted that the government had failed to protect the interests of growers.
Syed Murad Ali Shah of the PPP said that the federal government’s decision was an insult to the provincial government and the provincial legislature. “It is an attack on provincial autonomy,” he deplored.
He called for a joint resolution against the federal government’s move.
Kulsoom Nizamani, Ayaz Soomro, Shazia Mari, Usman Malkani and Dr Karimdino also criticized the Centre’s decision and expressed concern over delay both in the commencement of the mills’ operation and the payment of dues to the growers. They warned of an even deeper crisis next year involving wheat shortage also. They asked the provincial government to stick to its decision.
A rumpus was kicked off by the PPP’s Tariq Masood who subjected minister for agriculture to allegations in that heat of the moment crossed all limits of decency and parliamentary norms.
Mr Masood was mentioning the minister’s inability in getting outstanding dues of someone from Alnoor Sugar Mills recovered. He quoted the minister as telling him that he (the minister) himself owed some four-five million rupees to the mills but could not recover the same. Mr Masood further quoted the minister as saying that he would not bother if people resorted to set the mills on fire.
In the same breath, Mr Masood passed some indecent remarks which provoked the Treasury benches. The government side reacted angrily and demanded an apology from the opposition. The situation aggravated to the extent that some ministers along with members from the Treasury benches assembled in front of the Speaker’s desk in protest against the remarks.
Mr Mohammed Hussain, who was still chairing the session, described the opposition MPA’s remarks as ‘unparliamentary and inappropriate to the norms of parliament’. The opposition benches were visibly perturbed over Mr Masood’s remarks and conduct. Some of the senior opposition members tried to pacify the situation
When th proceedings resumed after Zuhar prayers, the treasury benches came prepared to censure Tariq Masood. Another Minister, Irfan Gul Magsi, even moved a motion but the Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, who had returned to chair the session, acted before it could be voted upon and asked Syed Qaim Ali Shah to find a way out.
He asked some members from both sides to go out in the lobby and find a mutually satisfactory solution.
When they returned after few minutes, Mr Tariq Masood tendered an apology over his remarks to resolve the matter.
The debate on sugarcane crisis will resume on Friday.
YUNUS KHAN: Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah on Thursday asked Senior Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed and Law Minister Chaudhary Iftekhar Ahmed to ensure presence of Yunus Khan, the jailed MPA belonging to the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, in the ongoing assembly session, adds PPI.
He issued the instructions on a point of order raised by Abdullah Murad of PPP.