The session started at around 11:30 am with Deputy Speaker Shahla Raza in chair. Under rule 71, Jatoi wanted to discuss the issue of compensation, which he believed has been failing to make its way to deserving people.
“You are claiming that everything is going perfectly but the flood survivors are being forced to commit suicide due to negligence in the Watan cards,” said Jatoi, adding that the, “rest of the survivors are dying of hunger in Dadu”.
Treasury members retaliated, however, with praise for government efforts. They criticised Jatoi and questioned what he had done for rehabilitation given that he is an influential landlord in Keti Jatoi. Jatoi pointed out that the ‘mismanagement’ was not confined to Keti Jatoi but that residents of the entire province have been protesting every day.
Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said that without supporting documents, the adjournment motion cannot be submitted. Referring to deaths from starvation, he said, “they are rumours and no one has died of hunger”.
The government made arrangements for 2,000 people in Keti Jatoi, said Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq. “The Jatoi brothers did not even bother to visit the area to help the flood victims,” he said, adding that it makes no sense for him to “campaign for their rights”. Jatoi continued to defend his position and said that if his allegations were baseless, the chief minister would not have initiated an inquiry.
Leader of the Opposition Jam Madad Ali appreciated the Watan card scheme but suggested that a motion be submitted to discuss its flaws.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that several survivors have received the initial compensation through Watan cards. “We are initially giving each family Rs20,000 but it will be followed by Rs80,000 soon,” he said, adding that the federal government has yet to distribute around Rs20 billion for flood rehabilitation in all provinces.
The motion was dropped by the deputy speaker since there were no evidence or supporting documents.
Mirza wants ‘physically fit’ policemen
Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza said that he wished to have a criterion of “physical fitness” for the promotion of police personnel. He added, however, that many people will oppose this because a majority of police officers are not eligible to continue their jobs.
According to Mirza, head money fixed on notorious criminals will be revised and a list of around 118 wanted criminals will be publicised very soon. “We have decided to announce prize money on those people who are involved in target killings,” he said.
Referring to the 52 karo-kari cases between May and October 2008, Mirza said that police investigations showed that several women were killed just to take revenge from rival groups. “People involved in killings are released after a short span of time and there is a need to amend the law and implement strict punishments for such criminals,” he added.
Karachi tops the list of kidnapping cases in Sindh. Out of the 80 cases reported in 2009, 73 hostages were recovered while seven died, Mirza said.
Action against KESC
At the start of the session, Adviser Khwaja Izharul Hassan said that electricity tariffs have increased by 68 per cent in the past two years. There is no one to attend to peoples’ woes as complaint centres have shut down in several areas, including Lasbela and North Karachi, following riots, he added.
Hassan said that the management of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) was of the opinion that 90 per cent of the people are not paying bills. “This is totally wrong. I appeal to the government to take notice of this issue and resolve the problem as soon as possible,” he said.
Congratulations for Asma Jahangir
Sindh Minister for Tourism Shazia Marri moved a resolution to extend congratulations to lawyer Asma Jahangir upon her election as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association. Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Ghulam Mujaddid Isran moved a resolution on LLM admissions in Larkana, Sukkur and Khairpur law colleges. Both resolutions were unanimously passed.
Introduction and consideration of bills
The House also introduced an amended bill on the colonisation of government land. Meanwhile, consideration of government bill on Sindh shops and establishments (security) was deferred till the next session on Wednesday, November 3. This bill will provide security and protection to persons and property of commercial and industrial establishments in the province.
Consideration of the governor’s message on two bills, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad Bill 2009 and Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, were also deferred. In his message, the governor said that the bills have some deviations in terms of the powers of the chancellor and other provisions in the acts of other universities.
Human rights minister loses earring
Sindh Minister for Human Rights Nadia Gabol lost her earring during the Sindh Assembly session on Monday. Gabol started looking for the missing earring during the session and continued looking until the session was adjourned. Her colleagues from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement also tried helping but to no avail. Later, Gabol told PPI that the earring was a gift from her mother, who had bought it from England. It was worth at least Rs80,000, she added.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2010.
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