Protests, boycott and walkouts of opposition parties marred the Sindh assembly session on Monday where the opposition members severely criticised what they called biased behaviour of Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza.
The first bout of protest came from the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) which wanted to discuss the matter of Rangers’ raid on their party’s headquarters. The MQM members protested for about six minutes when the speaker did not allow MQM lawmaker Muhammad Hussain to discuss the issue of Rangers’ raid on their party headquarters at Nine Zero on March 11. the MQM members after protest in house staged a walkout at 11:43 am. However, they came back at 11:52 am.
When call attention notice (CAN) time started, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members protested in house for about three minutes and later at 12:48 staged a walkout because the speaker did not allow the leader of opposition Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar (PML-F) to raise the issue of shortage of wheat procurement centers in Sindh. After protest in the House, the PML-F and PML-N members staged walkout at 12:48 pm. However, they returned back to house after five minutes.
At 12:49pm, Muhammad Hussain of the MQM stood on point of order and tried to speak on the matter of resignation of PTI members. But the deputy speaker did not allow him and gave the ruling that there was no notification of acceptance of resignation of any member. However, the MQM lawmakers protested till 1:11pm in the House.
Again at 1:15pm the MQM, PML-F and PML-N members stood to speak on points of order and protested when the deputy speaker did not allow them. They gathered before the dice of speaker and raised slogans. The deputy speaker at 1:19pm adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
At 1:25pm Speaker Aga Siraj Durani started the House. Soon on 1:29pm, MQM member Muhammad Hussain again stood and tried to speak but he was not allowed.
The leader of opposition also stood and tried to speak on the point of order, which the speaker did not allow. Some members stood before the dice and other protested on their benches. The speaker continued the proceedings amidst their protest. The PML-N and PML-F members tore apart the copies of rules of procedure and continued raising slogans. However, at 1:44pm, the PML-N, PML-F and MQM members boycotted and did not return till the House was adjourned.
