Expressing concern over the rising incidents of gas cylinders exploding in public transport vehicles, the lawmakers of Sindh Assembly on Wednesday stressed the need of strict check on the quality of CNG cylinders and demanded a complete ban on the use of gas cylinders, especially in public transport vehicles.
At least 12 people were burnt alive and several more suffered injuries on Tuesday when the CNG cylinder installed in a public transport van exploded near Hingorja, Khairpur district.
The issue came under discussion in the legislative house through a resolution brought forward by Pakistan Muslim League-Functional member Nusrat Saher Abbasi.
Despite many lawmakers terming it very important, the resolution was deferred for a day due to some ‘technical’ reasons.
The Sindh Assembly speaker, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, was of the view that laws regarding the use of safe CNG kits are present and the use of substandard and expired cylinders can be banned through effective implementation of the law. “It appears that the people are travelling [while sitting] on bombs throughout the day,” he said.
Admitting that substandard CNG cylinders are being sold in the Shershah scrap market, Sindh Transport Minister Akhtar Jadoon told the house that expired and substandard kits are banned under the prevalent law but the government will have to strictly implement the law.
“Around 0.3 million driving licences have been issued without fulfilling medical fitness and other formalities required,” he disclosed. “The Sindh Transport Department has initiated an inquiry into the matter.”
Meanwhile, the lawmakers passed the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service (Amendment) Bill 2011 aimed at transferring some powers of the prosecutor general to the provincial chief minister or the law minister.
The bill was tabled out of order by Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro.
“The former military ruler [Pervez Musharraf] had separated criminal prosecution from law ministry aimed at selected perusal of criminal cases in courts of law,” the law minister said. “The amendment in the Sindh Prosecution Service Bill 2009 will empower the provincial government to curb the menace of terrorism and pursue criminal cases effectively.”
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s provincial minister Sardar Ahmed said the amended bill will bring the government officers under the administrative control of elected members, like the chief minister or the minister concerned, instead of the bureaucracy. “The law officers will work on the lines drawn by the provincial government,” he added.
Supporting the amendment, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmakers, Haji Munawar Abbasi and Humera Alwani, and Awami National Party member Amanullah Masood said the prosecution should be strengthened so that criminals involved in heinous crimes cannot be freed from courts due to weaknesses in the prosecution’s side.
Defending the government’s law officers, however, the Sindh law minister said that though it is the prerogative of the provincial government, law officers and anti-terrorism courts’ judges are appointed on recommendations made by the higher judiciary. “Therefore, it is expected from the judiciary that it ensures that terrorists are not freed from courts,” he added.
The provincial legislative house adopted two more resolutions during the proceedings.
One was moved by Sindh Electric Power and Information Minister Shazia Marri for recognising efforts of Malala Yousafzai for promoting education for girls and peace in Swat. The other was brought forward by PPP’s Salim Khurshed Khokhar that condemned a shoe factory’s alleged act of disrespecting the religious symbol of Christians – the crucifix – in Punjab.
