Sindh govt mocks PML-F over by-election

PML-F leadership criticised during oath of newly-elected member, Jam Madad, from Sanghar

KARACHI: The lawmakers of ruling Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP], setting aside the routine agenda and discussion on the quarterly budget, created uproar in the House by criticising its opponent on winning the bypolls in Sanghar.

Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, instead of running the House as per rules, gave the floor to the government ministers and MPAs by switching off the microphones of opposition members.

The by-election was considered a battle between the PPP and its arch-rival Pakistan Muslim League-Functional [PML-F] in this district, where PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had once come under fire by devotees of the Hur Jamaat in the 1970s.



PPP has won the seat after a long time, which led the ruling party members to celebrate in the assembly.

Pandemonium was created when the speaker took the oath of newly-elected member, Jam Madad Ali, who resigned from PML-F and contested the by-election as a PPP candidate in PS-81.

During the oath, many PPP lawmakers lost their temper and criticised PML-F and its leadership, calling them friends of 'dictators' and claiming that PPP has now made inroads in the stronghold of the Pir Pagara-led party.



During the chaos, opposition members belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) repeatedly requested the speaker to expunge derogatory remarks, run the session as per rules and stop the ruling party members from using non-parliamentary language.

However, the deputy speaker turned a blind eye to their requests. "Please don't dictate me. I am running the session as per rules," she said.

Tension prevailed in the House as PPP members used Pir Pagara's name, saying that he once escaped the country fearing action of law enforcers following the arrest of his close aide.



Due to the increasing noise, it was difficult to understand the reaction of PML-F members who were shouting slogans to counter allegations against their leadership and party.

Realising the uneasiness at the session, PTI parliamentary leader Samar Ali Khan once again stood up and, addressing the deputy speaker, said, "Today is private members day and we all have to move our resolutions and private bills. Winning and losing an election is part of democracy. Please bring the House in order and restrain ruling party members from using hate speech. The way you are running the House is not fair."

Responding to him, Raza said, "Everything is okay in the House. If anyone has a problem, then move no-confidence motion against me."



"There is no sacred cow in this House whether it be any influential person, returning officer or even army," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, adding that the members have a full right to speak in favour of or against anyone.

Khuhro said that Jam Madad, who was earlier affiliated with PML-F, has now been freed from confinement. "They used to hijack the elections in the past and now the free and fair elections, held under the supervision of Rangers, have proved that Sanghar is also our stronghold," he said, adding no one was creating uproar in the House but rather members were clapping on the victory of their MPA.

Meanwhile, Jam Madad drew the House's attention toward killings during the by-elections and held PML-F workers responsible for it. He urged the chief minister to provide monetary help for those who had sustained injuries in the clash.



PPP MPA Taimur Talpur alleged that PML-F has always stolen PPP's mandate under the cover of dictators. Mumtaz Jakhrani, Fayyaz Butt, Sattar Rajpar and Imdad Pitafi of PPP criticised PML-F and its leaders.

Nusrat Seher Abbasi, Nand Kumar and Saeed Nizamani of PML-F attempted many times to say something but the deputy speaker did not allow them to do so.

Deferring all the agenda, the session was adjourned till Friday

Denied opportunity to speak

Since the PML-F members were not allowed to speak inside the session, the parliamentary leader of the party, Nand Kumar, held a media talk outside the assembly. It was the PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who used to utter the word 'Daddy' for army dictator General Ayub Khan, he said.



PPP has used state machinery to rig the elections. "Nine SPs were deputed to rig the by-polls," he said, adding that it was PML-F's stronghold where votes were hijacked.