Sindh Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the illegal and unconstitutional demands of leaders of Islamabad sit-ins and terming them as conspiracy against democracy, constitution and people of Pakistan.
The resolution moved by MPA Sortah Thebo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and others said this representative house of the people of Sindh expresses its deep concern over the situation emerging in the federal capital Islamabad caused by sit-ins, and terms their illegal and unconstitutional demands as conspiracy against democracy, constitution and people of Pakistan, and this house also condemns the un-parliamentary language used by the PTI and PAT leaders against the national leadership of country. Being a custodian of democracy and constitution, this house fully supports and will stand by the democracy and rule of law at any cost.
Earlier, the house met about 45 minutes late than its scheduled time of 10:00 am. The quorum was visibly lacking at many times but the MPAs and the chair did not take notice. The poor sound system of the new assembly hall caused immense problems for the media gallery like the previous day.
The chief minister did not attend the session, however, the leader of the opposition Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar was present. As the session started, he requested the chair to allot proper seats to the members of the opposition. He said his seat number 2 was placed at the position of seat number 13. He said if the ruling party was not ready to give the leader of the opposition due status, he might be formally allotted seat number 13 and he would not complain further. He said the treasury side was not tolerating even this tiny opposition in Sindh Assembly which was not a democratic attitude. Syed Sardar Ahmed of MQM also supported his stance; however, the chair – deputy speaker – said as the speaker had decided the matter and she would not over rule his order, adding the speaker had got the discretionary powers to ask members to sit on any bench that he deemed fit.
Shaharyar Khan Mahar (PML-F) moved a privilege motion that during a journey from Islamabad to Karachi, the PIA did not accept his travel vouchers on the pretext that State Bank of Pakistan had refused to accept their travel vouchers.
The motion was also discussed the previous day. However, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sikandar Mandharo requested the mover to submit the copies of the voucher for further probe. The mover said he would submit them. Further discussion on the motion was deferred.
Shaharyar Khan Mahar also moved an adjournment motion to discuss the issue that people of Thar had been dying due to deficiency of food. However, Minister for Food Jam Mahtab Dahar said the government had already declared the Thar area as calamity-hit and wheat was being supplied to the poor people of the area. He said the government would take all out efforts to help the people of Thar. The mover did not press his motion further.
Call attention notice No. 140 (A) of 2104, given notice by Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar (PML-F) asked the government to respond on police torture on teachers demanding their unpaid salaries and clarify about their job status.
Senior Minister for Education and Literacy Nisar Ahmed Khuhro responded that in the last government thousands of teachers were recruited illegally and the matter was under probe. He said these teachers could not be given salaries as their recruitment was not as per rules. He said the matter was pending in court. He said if the protesting teachers apply for jobs, give NTS test and qualify on merit they would be given jobs.
Call attention notice number 144 of 2104 given by Karmran Akhter (MQM) asked the minister for local government to answer why infrastructure of Karachi was in shambles and heaps of garbage were lying everywhere.
Sindh Local Govt Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon responded that there were a lot of ghost employees in municipal departments and they were not discharging their duties. He said committees were being set up to sack these ghost employees.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sikandar Ali Mandhro introduced Govt Bill No 19/ 2014 – The Sindh Workers Welfare Board Bill, 2014.
Later, the house was prorogued.
