Sindh Assembly session: Opposition leader gets into trouble for tearing up rule book

House passes resolution for emergency exits in high-rise buildings


Our Correspondent April 07, 2015
House passes resolution for emergency exits in high-rise buildings. PHOTO: RASHID AJMERI/EXPRESS

KARACHI: The opposition leader in Sindh Assembly was so overcome with emotions that he tore up copies of the rules and procedures — an act that was deeply censured and led to a resolution being passed against his conduct.

During the session on Tuesday, the lawmakers adopted a 'censure motion' against Shaharyar Mahar for his 'gross disorderly' behaviour. Some Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) members even demanded a ban on his entry in the House for some time or some other form of punishment.



Mahar's reaction came after the deputy speaker, Shehla Raza, refused to let him speak on a point of order. Speaking to media after the session, Mahar insisted that he was incited. "This drama was staged due to my stance on ghost schools, bungling in wheat procurement and the government's corruption and mismanagement," he said, accepting that he may have overreacted by tearing up the copies of the rules. "I am ready to face whatever emerges out of this development," he said.

The post of the speaker should be given to a neutral person, said Mahar. "PPP is tactfully paving the way for army intervention in the province," he claimed, adding that there is no such need as the people of Sindh will discard the PPP on their own given its poor performance. "PPP leaders always criticise dictatorship, but I say that they are martial law in the guise of democracy."

Mahar's statements did not go down too well with the PPP MPAs, who decided to penalise him with a censure motion. "This House strongly condemns and censures Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar, leader of the opposition, for the gross disorderly behaviour of tearing the prestigious book of rules of procedure of the provincial assembly and throwing it in the air," read the motion brought up by PPP's Dr Sikandar Shoro. "This is a dangerous trend towards damaging parliamentary practices."

The PPP MPAs thumped their desks in appreciation while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional MPAs protested. "You have done more than this," PML-F's Nusrat Sehar Abbasi shouted at the treasury benches. "In the past, you have set the agenda and rules of procedure books on fire.  Please stop victimising us."



PML-F leader Imtiaz Shaikh also felt they were being harassed due to their exposure of the government's incompetence. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers chose to remain silent on the issue.

According to the assembly secretary GM Umer Farooq, the speaker has the right to award punishment of one to 15 days to the member against whom the censure motion has been passed and ban his entry in the House.

Emergency exit routes

Moreover, the Sindh Assembly also passed a private resolution calling for emergency exit routes in all public and private high-rise buildings in Sindh. The resolution was moved by PPP MPA Nusrat Sultana. Sindh information and local government minister Sharjeel Memon said the provincial government has recently established the High Density Development Board under which all high-rise buildings have to make these arrangements.

During the debate on the resolution, nearly all MPAs except those belonging to the PPP, criticised the Sindh Building Control Authority for failing to implement its own by-laws. "The officials of this authority are allowing the residents to violate the laws," claimed MQM's Mohammad Hussain.

Later, the speaker adjourned the session for Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2015. 

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