Assembly asks govt to ensure security at schools in Sindh

Speaker dismisses adjournment motion to discuss murder of brothers in Tharparkar district

KARACHI:  

The Sindh Assembly adopted on Tuesday a resolution asking the Sindh government to ensure that all government and private schools, including seminaries, take proper security measures to protect children of all ages.

The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Saira Shahliani. In her speech, Shahliani demanded that each student, teacher and non-teaching staff be provided identity cards. "No child should be allowed to leave school unless their parents or guardians can prove their identity," she said, adding that school administrations must make sure the children are monitored till they leave school

"I also request government and private schools to hire more female teachers," said Shahliani. All political parties in the assembly supported her resolution. The education minister said the government has already taken such measures soon after the chief minister announced the education emergency.  Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Heer Soho suggested enacting a law on this issue.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman diverted the attention of the House towards 25,000 schools without basic facilities in the province. "Where has the emergency been declared?" he questioned.

Brothers’ murder

The government dismissed an adjournment motion to discuss the murder of grain traders in Mithi, Tharparkar district.

Moving the adjournment motion, Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F) parliamentary leader Nand Kumar Goklani requested the speaker to adjourn the assembly's proceedings and take up his adjournment on 'peace in Thar" which has now been sabotaged.



It is the only place in Pakistan where one can witness an oasis of religious harmony and the crime ratio is negligible, but now the situation is deteriorating, lamented Goklani. “A recent example can be gauged from the killing of two Hindu brothers Dileep and Chandur Maheshwari, who were killed by dacoits in broad daylight" he said.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani asked Goklani to speak about whether the adjournment motion was within the assembly rules. Referring to the rules of the provincial assembly Goklani said, "This is a public interest issue and recent occurrence. No one has earlier discussed this in the house, so my adjournment motion is fit for discussion."

Soon after, Durrani inquired about the Sindh government's version on it, Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said the government opposes it.

Goklani started justifying his plea and said, "I know that opposition members business, even for a good cause, will be discouraged here, but please take up this adjournment motion because it is serious issue."

Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal said, "I am personally monitoring this issue. We have formed a committee under the supervision of the Mirpurkhas DIG and the IG himself has visited the area. I assure the house that the killers of the Hindu brothers would be put behind bars."

After the home minister's statement, the speaker called the adjournment motion out of order without listening to Goklani’.

After heated speeches, the speaker adjourned the session till tomorrow (Thursday).