Rumpus in Sindh Provisional Assembly as local government bill becomes law
By: Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly witnessed on Thursday unprecedented disturbances when Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro announced that the governor had given assent to the Sindh People’s Local Government Bill, 2012.
The house turned into a veritable fish market with a ‘shouting match’ between members of the treasury benches and a tiny opposition during which ‘shut up’, ‘shame’ and even unparliamentarily remarks were loudly made.
And not only the new legislators, even experienced leaders like provincial Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq and former opposition leader Jam Madad Ali startled the speaker with their oratory skills. Sanity returned after intervention by some serious lawmakers.
Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and other opposition members were wearing black armbands in protest against the SPLG Act and shouted shame, shame. They said the black law and division of Sindh would never be accepted. Ms Abbasi said history would not forgive the supporters of the bill.
After 10 minutes of rumpus, the opposition walked out of the house. PPP’s Rafique Engineer alleged that those opposing the bill were supporters of Gen Musharraf who had killed Benazir Bhutto. “They want to come to power from backdoor.”
Informer Minister Sherjeel Memon said those protesting in the house had once supported the Kalabagh dam and now when the elections were round the corner, they were siding with nationalists. Murad Ali Shah criticised the attitude of the opposition and said if there was any loophole in the bill they should introduce amendments.
The house, which was called to order at 12.10pm, more than two hours behind the schedule, was adjourned till Nov 30 after completion of the agenda at 4.40pm. Besides the local government bill, Governor Ishratul Ibad also gave assent to the Habib University Bill, 2012, and The Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority Bill, 2012.
The Sindh Revenue Board (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and the Jinnah Sindh Medical University Bill, 2012 were introduced and the house adopted the Sindh Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2012.
It also adopted a motion tabled by Pir Mazharul Haq under rule 178(1) to censure what it termed un-parliamentary and unruly behaviour of MPAs Jam Madad Ali, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Marvi Rashdi and Shahryar Mahar who wasted precious time of the house, tore documents and threw them on the floor and used abusive language and derogatory remarks against members of the treasury benches.
After the statement of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on the law and order situation, the speaker allotted seats on the opposition benches to eight MPAs belonging to the PML-F, PML-Arbab, NPP, PML-L and NPP. They are: Arif Jatoi, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Marvi Rashdi, Rana Abdul Sattar, Qazi Shamsuddin Rajar, Ali Ghulam Nizamani, Rahim Bux Bozdar and Amanullah Mehsud.
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