The Sindh Assembly on Friday witnessed a commotion on the issue of non-implementation by the Sindh government of the official purchase rate of sugarcane in the province which was termed an economic genocide of the growers by the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) government.
When the sitting began, the leader of opposition Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar and other members of the PML-F and PML-N wanted to raise this issue; however, the chair did not allow them to speak and said they would be given a chance after the question hour.
The question hour pertained to the departments of Katchi Abadies and the department of food. On the last question of the day by PML-F member Nusrat Bano Sehar Abbassi, the PML-N MPA and the ex-chief minister of Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim asked a supplementary question that what the government of Sindh was doing to save the growers of sugarcane of the province from the economic losses as the sugar mill owners were not purchasing sugarcane from them as per the official rate.
Provincial Minister Mehtab Dahar, who was answering the question on behalf of Sindh chief minister, could not give a satisfactory reply and the senior minister Nisar Khuhro came for his rescue and asked the chair to declare the question irrelevant. The chair, Shehla Raza, in her ruling said the question was irrelevant as the main question was about the wheat and the supplementary question was about sugarcane. On this, the members of PML-F and PML-N strongly protested and said it was the matter of life and death for the poor sugarcane growers of Sindh and the provincial government was busy in their economic genocide by not implementing the government purchase rate of sugarcane.
However, the chair did not allow the supplementary question of Arbab Ghulam Rahim and the PML-F and PML-N members gathered before the dais of speaker and chanted slogans. Due to this grave disorder, the chair found it better to hurriedly adjourn the house till Monday at 10:00 am.
Due to the protest of opposition parties, no business of the day saving question hour was carried out. Later, the chair adjourned the house till Friday, 10:00am
However, before the commencement of the sitting, Arbab Ghulam Rahim talking to media strongly criticised the policies of PPP government of Sindh. He said there was no democracy in Sindh and the PPP did not want to run the Sindh Assembly in a democratic manner. He said the members of the opposition were even not allowed to speak on the floor of Sindh Assembly. He said it was better that this undemocratic system in Sindh province be replaced with some other system.
However, another ex-chief minister, Liaquat Jatoi of the PML-N told the media that the PPP itself was paving way for a martial law. He said there were some people sitting in the House who even did not know the democratic norms. He complained that opposition members were not allowed to speak in the House and the treasury bench due to its numerical supremacy is bulldozing the proceedings of the house.
Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon strongly criticised Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Liaquat Jatoi. He alleged that these both politicians were not happy with the democratic system. “They cannot digest democracy,” he commented. He said Arbab Ghulam Rahim during his tenure released 45 under-trial target killers on parole. To a question about the allegations of Shahryar Mahar that he had demanded bribes from TMO Lakhi Taluka to buy a costly dress and a new car, he said if Shahryar Mahar tells on oath that he had demanded bribe for buying a costly dress, he would tender his resignation.