Treasury benches on Tuesday managed to pass a government bill on the private members day amidst strong protest by the opposition.
According to details, opposition parties strongly protested when Senior Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro tabled a motion to relax rules to allow him tabling supplementary business. The opposition parties strongly protested that the government wanted to table its business on the private members day. However, the speaker allowed the senior minister to proceed and table the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2016 under supplementary business, and the House passed it amid the uproar of opposition. The leader of the opposition, Khuwaja Izharul Hassan, requested the speaker to issue direction for counting of the members present in the House as the number of opposition members was more than the members of treasury benchers. However, the speaker continued the proceedings and the bill was passed, finally.
According to the amendment of Section 18 of Sindh Act No XLII of 2013: “In the said Sindh Local Government Act 2013 in section 18, in sub-section (3), (4), (6), (7), (8) and (9), in clause (c) thereof, for the words “secret ballot” the words “Show of hands” shall be substituted.
In the statement of objects and reasons, Nisar Khuhro said in order to avoid corrupt practices and make the election of mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and vice chairman of a council fair and free, it was expedient to make suitable amendments in the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.
However, Khuwaja Izharul Hassan said that the ruling PPPP knew that it may face a defeat in these elections and it had also no confidence on their own members, so it now wanted show of hands instead of secret balloting.
The opposition members saving two members of the PTI during this process stood on their seats and tore down the copies of the order of the day and raised slogans. However, the House passed the supplementary bill and after passing of the bill the speaker adjourned the House. The opposition members raised slogans of “go corruption go”. Earlier, the House met one hour and four minutes late than its scheduled time of 10:00am, with incomplete quorum; however, soon the quorum was met. The chair adjourned the House till Friday at 10:00am.
