PA approves two resolutions on women’s rights | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

PA approves two resolutions on women’s rights

KARACHI,March 16,2005: The Sindh Assembly, on Tuesday, amidst chaotic scenes, unanimously approved two resolutions while the opposition introduced eight different private bills on private members’ day.

The assembly approved unanimously the resolution regarding the Women’s rights tabled by the PPP’s Shazia Marri and treasury member Farheen Ambreen separately, which the MMA MPA Hafiz Mohammad Naeem also supported and signed.

The House, which commenced business with Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah in the Chair, witnessed commotion during the question hour when PPP MPA Dr Narsullah Baloch from Sukkur called the Home Minister Abdur Rauf Siddiqui insane.

On this remark, the treasury members, including women rose in their seats in protest and chaos gripped the session with the proceedings of the House coming to a brief halt. The treasury members said that if the opposition used such un-parliamentary words, then they would not lag behind in the practice. They demanded that the remark should be expunged from the proceeding and the members should tender an apology.

Amidst noise, Mohammad Hussain of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement demanded of the chair to take action against the PPP member for passing objectionable remarks against a minister. The treasury members were of the view that minister would not reply to questions unless the member tendered an apology.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah said that he had already expunged the word and directed Nasrullah Baloch not to pass such remarks. How could I conduct the business when everybody was taking law into their hands, Shah maintained. In the second half, PPP member Dr Nasrullah Baloch moved a privilege motion, which the speaker referred to the committee on privileges after a heated debate, to examine whether the privilege was breached and submit a report in the House in the next session.

The situation once again took an ugly turn when leader of opposition Nisar Khuhro moved an adjournment motion regarding the Dr Shazia Khalid gang rape at Sui. The PPP’s MPA, Rafiq Engineer, staged a walk-out in protest against the speaker for his attitude towards the lady MPA Humera Alwani who tried to speak when Khuhro was speaking on his adjournment motion.

The Speaker asked the lady MPA to be patient as the leader of the opposition was already speaking.Engineer Rafique rose in his seat and shouted that speaker had used a derogatory word. On this, a heated argument ensued between the Nisar Khuhro and the chair, the PPP lady members entered the fray and joined the chorus of noises.

Shah issued first warning to Engineer Rafique over his offensive attitude under Rule 189 (e) and asked him to leave the House if he couldnÂ’t refrain from adopting this offensive attitude towards the speaker. The Chair also threatened to prorogue the House if the opposition failed to maintain order.

Rafique Engineer staged a walk-out of the proceeding in protest after warning but his colleague persuaded him and he returned to the House.After order returned to the house, Nisar Khuhro started arguments on the admissibility of his adjournment motion requesting the chair to relax relevant rules, enabling him to move an adjournment motion pertaining Dr Shazia Khalid gang rape at Sui.

The other PPP members, Humera Alwani, Dr Mahreen Bhutto, and Rafique Engineer also moved motions on the same subject but the Law Minister Chaudhry Iftikhar opposed the motion and argued that the matter did not come in the jurisdiction of Sindh.

The discussion on admissibility was still on when the chair adjourned the House till Wednesday morning asking the members that motions would be taken up on next private members day on Tuesday.

Earlier, the leader of opposition Nisar Khuhro drew the attention of the Chair towards the non-payment of salaries to 58 teachers of Dadu for the last nine months. He said that these teachers were appointed on the quota of deceased teachers and were on hunger strike because they were denied their salaries since their appointment.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah asked Sindh Minister Dr Hameeda Khuhro for comments.The minister said that certain illegalities were committed in the induction of teachers and as such, the finance department had refused to release their salaries. She, however, assured that she would do her best in the matter and now a summary would be moved for fresh appointments.
Source: The News
Date:3/16/2005