KARACHI, April 28: The Sindh Assembly on Friday failed to deliberate on any of the two issues for which joint opposition had requisitioned the session, as Deputy Speaker Rahila Tiwana, who was presiding over the session, adjourned the House for Wednesday at 12 noon.
The issues pertain to the Nishtar Park tragedy and demolition of “ancient” villages in the province. The issues could not be taken up for want of time as the proceedings started after a lapse of two hours as usual at 11.05am against the scheduled time of 9am. Being Friday, the working hours of the assembly are till 12 noon only unless the House extends the time to meet after prayers. Out of 55 minutes, half of the time was consumed in tradition business of recitation from Holy Qur’an and Naat Sharif which was followed by offering Fateha for those who expired or met tragic ends.
However, when different members were announcing names to offer Fateha by the House for departed souls and an early recovery of the injured, an indiscipline scene which could led to create rumpus in the House, was avoided due to prompt intervention from the chair.
Another uproar scene was avoided when treasury benches did not react to the issues raised by some of the opposition members before mentioning the names for offering Fateha which often used to provide meat for generating uproar in the house by members.
This unusual behaviour from both sides was a manifestation as if the members of the House were serious to carry out some business in the House but this impression was dispelled when the House rose for the day at its scheduled time without taking care of its lapsed time of two hours by extending the time to reassemble after Friday prayers.
The members from opposition took their seats in the house around 10.45am. As the Assembly Secretary Hadi Bukhsh Buriro had started counting the strength of the members in the House to determine the quorum, members of the treasury benches gave entry and the house was called to order by the chair around 11.05am.
After recitation from Holy Qur’an and Naat Sharif, members rising from their seats with the permission of the chair started naming the deceased for offering Fateha and early recovery of the injured.
Hameedullah Khan of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal condemned the violence in educational institutions in Karachi and mentioned recent incident of Government Commerce College where according to him Syed Akmal was gunned down in the presence of police. He said the House should offer Fateha for late student and for those who had failed to restore law and order.
Shakir Ali of Muttahida Qaumi Movement rising from treasury benches raised objection over the remarks and started agitation to draw attention of the chair towards the remarks of Hameedullah Khan saying that by mentioning of the authorities he was making fun of Fateha as Fateha was offered only for the deceased. Shakir Ali was joined by Naila Inam and a few other creating pandemoniums. But before the matter takes ugly turn, the chair directed the members not to pass remarks and restraint themselves to mentioning the names only.
Nasrullah Shaji of the MMA while referring the name of Syed Akmal for Fateha accused the APMSO for his murder and demanded arrest of those who were named in the FIR.
Rafique Engineer of PPP said that Afshan Imran of the treasury benches had asked the House to pray for early recovery of their colleague member Dr Manzoor Hussain Leghari who is hospitalized these days. The PPP member said while offering prayer for Dr Leghari the House should also pray for recovery of those who were also hospitalized and suffering pains for want of operation, which could not be carried as operational theaters were not operational due to power breakdowns.
Later, the assembly session was adjourned till Wednesday afternoon.