MPAs pour scorn on Nisar for `insulting Sindhi culture`
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI: The Pakistan People`s Party`s hawks in the Sindh Assembly on Monday once again attacked Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, accusing him of using abusive language against Sindhi culture and civilisation during his press conference on Sunday.
Terming it a breach of the privilege of the house and an attempt to drive a wedge between Sindh and Punjab, they demanded that he should be summoned before the privilege committee of the assembly to explain his position.
The PPP MPAs were speaking on two identical privilege motions moved by Imran Leghari and Saleem Khurshid Khokhar.
After speeches on the admissibility of the motions, Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro held the privilege motion in order and referred it to the committee on rules of procedure and privileges.
The motion reads: “That Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has used derogatory remarks for the honorable members of the Sindh assembly during a press conference on the 13th of March, 2011 while further criticizing the cultural attire of the people of Sindh reflecting his degrading and bitter attitude, Mr Chaudhry, has greatly hurt the sentiments of the people of Sindh.”
Speaking on the admissibility, Imran Leghari said that during the press conference Chaudhry Nisar passed derogatory remarks about their cultural attire and hurt the sentiments of the people of Sindh. By terming the members of the Sindh Assembly bouncers, he had committed a breach of privileges of the entire house, he added.
He recalled that Chaudhry Nisar had also said that when Asif Ali Zardari was in trouble, he put on the Sindhi cap and Ajrak and in this way, he had insulted Sindhi civilisation.
He said the Muslim League-N, which claimed itself to be a democracy-loving party, had no democratic step to its credit and was indulging in politics of the 1960s and 1990s of Chhanga Manga by creating a `unification bloc`. “We could have formed such blocs in the national, and provincial assemblies with our presence, but we believe in democracy and our generation would not tolerate any such old tactics,” he said.
“We don`t attire the Sindhi cap and Ajrak when in trouble, but we proudly wear them on all important and merry occasions.”
Salim Khokhar said the parliamentary secretary in the cabinet of Zia-ul-Haq not only attacked Sindhi culture and civilization, but had conspired to divide Sindh and Punjab.
Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, PPP parliamentary party leader and senior minister, said the assembly was the elected house of the people of Sindh which was insulted by Nisar Ali Khan, and recalled that once Shahid Kapoor (an Indian showbiz personality) had made derogatory remarks against the Sindhi cap and people in India had reacted sharply over it.
He recalled that Sindh was the mother of Pakistan as the Sindh Assembly had given birth to Pakistan by adopting the Pakistan Resolution.
He said as Chaudhry Nisar Ali had insulted the people of Sindh and the assembly, the motion was in order and be referred to the committee on rules of procedure and privileges.
After the motion was referred to the committee, Sherjeel Memon rose on a point of order to raise the same issue, but the chair did not allow him, saying that the matter had already been disposed of.
When Mr Memon insisted on expressing his views, the speaker reminded him that in the past when a member of this assembly was dubbed a RAW agent over opposing the Kalabagh dam plan, the matter was also referred to the committee on the rules of procedure and privileges.
Besides the privilege motion, the assembly session, which was called to order at 10.55am without the MQM members by the speaker, also passed two resolutions unanimously which were moved after suspension of all relevant rules under 211.
By one of the resolutions moved jointly by Saleem Khurshid Khokhar and Pitamber Sewani, the assembly recommended to the federal government to recommend the name of Shahbaz Bhatti, the slain federal minister, for a Nobel Peace Prize. He had worked for equal rights for the minorities in Pakistan and promoted religious harmony and democracy in Pakistan, they said.
Solidarity with Japanese
The other resolution was read out by Shazia Marri, who was joined by the entire house. When put to the vote, it was unanimously carried. It reads:
“This assembly deeply affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that caused mass scale destruction in Japan, extends its deepest sympathies to the people of Japan who are currently experiencing the gravest catastrophe since World War II, expresses its condolences to the Japanese nation, understands the overwhelming calamity currently faced by Japan, having ourselves experienced the catastrophic earthquake of 2005, appreciates the support extended to Japan by the international community, including the honorable President of Pakistan, assures the people of Japan of the continued utmost support of the Pakistani nation during this time of acute crisis.”
The house also observed two-minute silence for the victims of tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
The chair read out the order of Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan to prorogue the session at 12.55pm after concluding its business. The house had earlier disposed of the agenda by introducing the government bill No 7 of 2011 –– The Shahdadpur Institute of Medical Sciences Bill, 2011 –– and the question hour on the labour department.
The chair also observed that following the 18th amendment to the constitution, the assembly session days had been increased from 70 to 100, and on Monday the assembly had completed 101 days in session.
Soon after the prorogation of the session, the governor issued a fresh order summoning another session at 10am on Tuesday, which would be a private members day.
Source: Dawn
Date:3/15/2011
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