Sindh Assembly: MPAs claim centre is eating Sindh’s share

They passed a resolution against the curtailing of 650MW to Karachi.

KARACHI:

The provincial government unanimously passed on Tuesday a resolution criticising the decision of the Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power to curtail the supply of 650 Megawatts (MW) to Karachi from national electricity grid. The legislators demanded that uninterrupted power supply be ensured to the city. While speaking about the issue, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said, “We will protest in the Council of Common Interest’s (CCI) upcoming meeting. The newly elected federal government is violating Sindh’s constitutional rights.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Hafeezuddin was the one who actually brought up the issue - he submitted the adjournment motion, diverting the house’s attention to the statements of Zahid Khan, the chairperson of the water and power committee. He requested the acting speaker Shehla Raza to discuss the issue because he felt the federal government’s decision to curtail electricity to Karachi would create more problems for the city, which already faces power cuts.

Though the PTI leader’s motion was turned down on technical grounds, most legislators - including the chief minister - suggested a resolution on the issue. “I’d like you [MPAs] to please back me by adopting this resolution so that I can take this case in the upcoming CCI meeting politely,” said Shah. He pointed to an agreement in which the federal government had stated it would provide gas to the Karachi Electric Supply Company so that it could generate 650 MW till 2015. “Seventy-one per cent of Pakistan’s total gas is produced in Sindh, but the federal bureaucracy is trying to avoid giving us our due share. We will not tolerate this approach and will protest at every forum,” the chief minister added.



Soon after a debate on the issue, senior minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and law minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro asked for a resolution on the issue. Later, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Khalid Ahmed moved the resolution which was passed by all legislators, including those belonging to Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partners.

Water woes

The MPAs adopted another resolution condemning the Punjab government’s decision of opening the flood canals, diverting Sindh’s share of water from the Indus River. PPP’s Jam Khan Shoro said, “People are suffering from severe water shortages. They’re protesting in every nook and corner of Sindh, especially the provinces lower parts. But the Punjab government has opened the Chashma-Jehlum link canal and Tunsa-Panjnad Canal.” He added that this move was illegal.

Moving the resolution, the members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), MQM, PML-N and Pakistan Muslim League - Functional requested the federal government to intervene. “Chashma-Jehlum canal and Tunsa-Panjnad canal are built to get surplus water during the floods. But they are getting water through these canals the whole year,” said Shoro.

The treasury members criticised members of the opposition belonging to PML-N, asking them why the party in central government was making anti-Sindh decisions. But PML-F’s Imtiaz Shaikh and PML-N’s Sorath Thebo shot back, saying PPP had also done nothing during its tenure. “What did you people do when you were in the federal government? Now you’re making hue and cry on the Chashma-Jehlum canal and blaming the Punjab government,” said Shaikh.

Opposition leader appointed

The acting speaker has also declared Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, as the leader of opposition with effect from June 11.

Resolution passed to make DNA tests mandatory

The Sindh Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday to make DNA tests mandatory in rape cases, accepting it as primary evidence and asked the provincial government to bear the expenses of rape victims.

The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Sharmila Farooqi and supported by all the male and female members of the assembly.

Farooqi said that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) had declared that DNA tests were not acceptable as primary evidence in the cases of rape but the Supreme Court had later turned down the council’s ruling. “This test will determine scientifically about the involvement of the accused in the case. We request that DNA test is made mandatory,” she said. “The provincial government should also bear the expenses of those victims who cannot afford the test.”

Mehtab Akbar Rashdi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional lauded the resolution and said women, who are victims of the horrific act, will have a chance through this test to put the accused behind bars.

Female MPAs from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement suggested to have DNA counters at all the public hospitals for easy access and creating awareness.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2013.