KARACHI, Feb 1: The 10-point order of the day for the Sindh Assembly session beginning on Monday after the winter break includes the election of two committees – on the rules of procedure and privileges and government assurances.
The constitution of these committees has been delayed by 10 months as, according to Rules 165 and 167 of the Rules of Procedure of the Sindh Assembly, the two committees should have been formed during its first session after the general election.
The committee on rules of procedure, which consists of seven members, examines any question of privilege referred to it by the assembly and any proposal for amendment of these rules.
The committee on government assurances, which consists of nine members, scrutinises assurances, promises and undertakings given by a minister on the floor of the assembly, and to report the extent to which such assurances, promises, or undertakings are implemented and whether such implementations have taken place within the minimum time required.
If any member feels that an assurance, promise or understanding has not been implemented within reasonable time, he may request the speaker to refer the matter to the committee.
The other items on the agenda include a privilege motion of Syed Javed Hussain Shah against the deputy inspector-general of Sukkur police, nomination of a woman member of the provincial assembly (MPA) as a member of the Pakistan Nursing Council in Islamabad and four members on the board of governors of the Sindh Coal Authority.
In addition to the above, the other business on the order of the day includes question hour on local government, announcement of the two bills assented to by the governor pertaining to the Sindh Public Property Removal of Encroachment Bill 2008 and the Sindh Wildlife Protection Bill 2008.
The assembly secretariat had not received any adjournment motion till Saturday afternoon. However, under Rule 71 a notice of motion could be given to the secretary not less than one hour before the commencement of the sitting.
Leave applications, election of panel of chairman and recitation from the Holy Qur’an are other routine items in the order of the day.
Meanwhile, the ruling Pakistan People’s Party’s parliamentary party, which met on Sunday night at the Chief Minister’s House, formulated its strategy for the session beginning on Monday at 10am.
Parliamentary party leader Pir Mazharul Haq, who presided over the meeting, urged the members to be punctual so that house business could begin on time.The parliamentary party of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement — the government’s major partner — would meet on Monday in its chamber before going for the session to deliberate on items on the order of the day, the issue of nomination of a woman MPA on the nursing council and four members on the board of governors of the Sindh Coal Authority in particular.
There have been speculations that in the coming session of the Sindh Assembly, the ruling party would move the Sindh Local Government Ordinance Amendment Bill for introduction of the commissionerate system in the province, which has already been enforced in the three other provinces of the country. But sources close to the coalition ruled out the possibility of moving a proposed amendment bill out of turn in Monday’s sitting.
The proposal provided to the MQM only mentioned the intention of introducing the commissionerate system with powers which the government deemed fit, the sources said.
The joint opposition also met on Sunday night at the residence of the leader of the opposition, Jam Madad Ali, at Clifton, which was attended among others by members of the assembly from the Pakistan Muslim League-F, PML-Q and the National People’s Party.
The meeting, which continued till the filing of this report, besides discussing a strategy for the session was also supposed to consider and finalise resolutions to be submitted to the assembly secretary for inclusion in balloting for Tuesday’s session, which is a private members’ day.