KARACHI, Feb 15: In a rare move to put treasury members in the Sindh Assembly to shame and defer consideration of what was described as a pro-graft government bill, the opposition for the first time since 2008 pointed that the session on Friday was inquorate.

The Sindh Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2013 was tabled by Law Minister Ayaz Soomro for introduction and consideration at once after dispensing with relevant rules.

As soon as Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro asked the law minister to move the motion, opposition lawmaker Arif Mustafa Jatoi of the National People’s Party drew the attention of the chair towards the amendment to the bill, pointing out that their government had passed the procurement bill with checks and balances but the insertion of the word ‘national interest’ in the bill was a matter of caution as every law was being violated in the name of the national interest.

He also raised the issue of a lack of quorum.

Nusrat Seher Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional said that the house was considering important legislation business, but there was no quorum in the house as only 31 members were present against the requirement of presence of 42 MPAs.

Information Minister Sharjeel Memon contested the claim of the opposition member saying that the house did not lack the quorum.

The law minister recalled that it had been agreed upon at the very beginning of the term of the assembly that the quorum issue would not be raised.

Jam Madad Ali of the PML-F reminded the law minister that it was agreed that the quorum issue would not be pointed out if the house started its business at 10.30am. However, when the questions hour was already over, yet there was no quorum, he added.

The information minister said that public money was being spent on the assembly session and if there were two members present, the house business should be taken up.

Mr Jatoi said: “We are pointing out the quorum as the bill is legalising corruption.”

Shehla Raza criticised the opposition for not being present in the house despite asking questions during the questions hour.

The speaker reminded the law minister that no doubt it had been agreed between the treasury and the opposition that the quorum issue would not be pointed out for conducting house business in a smooth manner, but now as the quorum issue was raised he had to either adjourn the session for five minutes or defer the bill.The law minister moved the motion to defer the consideration of the procurement bill till Thursday. As soon as the consideration of the procurement bill was deferred, the chair announced completion of the quorum in the house as a few more MPAs entered the house.

Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences bill passed

The law minister made a motion for consideration of a government bill No-5 of 2013 — The Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences.

Speaking on the general principles of the bill, the minister said that the PPP government had been striving to provide the latest health facilities to the people at their doorsteps, even in far-flung and backward areas.

He said that another purpose for setting up the institute in Jacobabad was to undertake a postgraduate teaching programme for advancement of medical sciences.

Welcoming the bill, Dr Sikandar Mandhro of the PPP said that the government should keep in view international standards as just erecting concrete structure was not going to help the people if there were no able and qualified teachers.

PPP’s Saira Shaliyani and Ayesha Khoso — the two lawmakers belonging to Jacobabad —and Arif Jatoi of the NPP said that it augured well that modern institute of medical sciences was being established in Jacobabad as health and education were two important sectors of the society.

After their speeches and a clause-by-clause reading, the bill was unanimously passed.

With the adoption of the bill all business on the order of the day was completed and the chair adjourned the house at 12.15pm to meet on Feb 20 at 10am.

The consideration of the Sindh Arms Bill, 2013 was also deferred till Wednesday.

Earlier, the house was called to order behind one hour and 20 minutes against its schedule time of 10am by Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza at 11.20am.

As the lawmakers whose questions were on the order of the day were not present in the house, the chair called Heer Sohu and Arif Mustafa Jatoi to raise their question. However, after getting no response she announced completion of the questions hour.