KARACHI: Opposition members in Sindh Assembly continued to protest for the second consecutive day on Tuesday for not being given a chance to speak.
MQM’s Dr Zafar Kamali moved a motion on community development programme but it was rejected after which the opposition members protested.
Moreover, resolutions on chikungunya and cheating mafia were also rejected in the session.
The opposition members also chanted slogans of ‘Go Nawaz Go’, ‘Go Shehla Go’ [against Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza] and ‘No Corruption No’.
Afterwards, they also staged a walkout.
Speaking to the media after the session, Pakistan Muslim League- Functional (PML-F)’s Mahtab Akbar Rashdi remarked that the important issues such as chikungunya can no longer be discussed in the assembly’ session. She also asked if the sole purpose of the session was to praise the ruling party.
Opposition leader Syed Sardar Ahmed said that Pakistan Peoples Party just wants to created distractions in the province.
Imdad Pitafi’s offensive remark
Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Imdad Pitafi landed in hot waters after he lost his cool and made an offensive remark regarding the prime minister.
Following his remark, slogans of ‘Shame Shame’ were chanting against him.
However, when he was explaining his use of the word he again used the same word. He explained, “load shedding is rampant in the entire province. There is no electricity due to which I am not able to sleep properly. My brain is not functioning properly. I meant to say something else but said something completely else.”
Govt’s ‘defensive response’
In response to the aggressive behaviour of the opposition members, the government endorsed a defensive stance and passed a resolution favouring a change in reserved seats.
PPP’s Sohail Anwar Siyal moved a motion according to which reserved seats will be re-distributed according to party positions in the provincial assembly.
The resolution was passed with the majority votes. Despite the absence of opposition members, the deputy speaker dealt with all the issues raised.