Assembly empowers deputy commissioners, police superintendents to impose Section 144

Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment Bill) 2017 amended despite opposition’s warnings

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly passed on Monday a law transferring the power to impose Section 144 from district nazims to deputy commissioners and superintendents of the police in all districts.

Amending the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment Bill) 2017, Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that during General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s tenure magisterial powers under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were given to district nazims to prohibit assembly of five or more persons, public meetings, carrying firearms and throwing and dumping all kind of hazardous material like solid and industrial waste. After this amendment these powers will be shifted to the district administration.

Khuho said the nazims were empowered under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001, which was repealed and replaced with the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) parliamentary leader Syed Sardar Ahmed suggested refraining from amending the law and said, "This matter is pending before the court, so I request government to avoid [amending] this law".



Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan, who also belongs to the MQM, suggested handing over these powers to elected representatives of local bodies but his idea was opposed by Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar. "This is not possible because the spirit of the Local Government Act passed in 2013 would be changed," he said. After a brief discussion, the assembly passed this law.

Income support programme

The assembly adopted a resolution condemning the federal government's decision to remove the name and photo of Benazir Bhutto from posters and cards issued under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). This initiative was launched by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in 2008 in order to provide financial support to marginalised and vulnerable groups, especially women.  Though the federal government has continued this programme, it has now removed Benazir’s photos. Moving the resolution, PPP MPA Ghazala Siyal said, "If the [federal] government does not revisit its decision, we will go to court because a law was passed in Parliament to start this programme.” This was echoed by numerous other PPP lawmakers.

Federal government violates 1991 Water Accord

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the federal government was violating the 1991 Water Accord by not releasing Sindh’s proper share of water. "Sindh is suffering from an acute water shortage," he said, adding that the lack of water has greatly impacted Sindh’s ecology and environment.



He accused Punjab of stealing Sindh's share by diverting water through different canals. "Despite our complaints, no one listens to us," he lamented, adding that four assemblies have rejected the Kalabagh dam’s construction but the federal government is adamant to continue with the controversial project.

The speaker later adjourned the session till today (Tuesday).