MPAs forgive each other at farewell session of Sindh Assembly

Chief minister admits he used a wrong word while criticising those who wanted to divide Sindh

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly that was elected in the 2013 general elections completed its five-year tenure on Monday on a positive note as lawmakers belonging to both the treasury and opposition benches not only pardoned each other for their past conduct but also vowed to work together to strengthen democracy.

During the five years, the House witnessed many verbal battles, walk-outs and even exchanges of derogatory remarks by MPAs against each other. However, on the last day, all MPAs were seen hugging each other and offering apologies for their slipups in the House. They bade goodbye and asked each other to take care of themselves.

The last session was addressed by the chief minister, parliamentary leaders of political parties, opposition leader, speaker and deputy speaker.

As the session started with the speaker in chair, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Pir Fazal Ali Shah, who is the caretaker of Ranipur shrine, was asked to recite a naat. During the recitation of Holy Quran, a few MPAs requested the speaker to pray that the next government is not involved in corruption.



In his farewell speech, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah first gave a clarification for the controversial use of word 'lanat' (curse) that he used in his speech on the day the budget was passed against those who wanted to bifurcate Sindh. "I realise that I have used a wrong word, which the speaker has expunged," he said, adding that he did not use the word against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).  The CM explained that he became emotional against those who wanted to disintegrate Sindh which was his motherland.

"Those elements who want to harm our country or Sindh are our enemies," the CM said.  However, he also acknowledged the sacrifices of Muhajirs who left their ancestral homes in India and came to Sindh after the creation of Pakistan. "Those who live in Sindh are Sindhis," he remarked.

The CM was visibly emotional when he mentioned his father, the late former chief minister Abdullah Shah. "I am here today because of parents," he said.

"This house has given me honour, name and fame," the CM remarked.  He praised Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani for running the House without any discrimination.



MQM-Pakistan Parliamentary Leader Syed Sardar Ahmed spoke about democratic values. He was of the view that instead of the conventional democracy, there should be a participatory democracy in the country. He urged the political parties to give more tickets to women, youths and peasants in the upcoming elections. "The [outgoing] government has not given funds to opposition parties, which is not a good omen. Let's have a government which looks after each and every one [and] releases funds at the gross-roots level," he said. Ahmed was also full of praise for Durrani who, according to him, was the best speaker in the history of Sindh Assembly.

"Many opposition MPAs expressed reservations on the way I chaired the house," said Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza. She offered apology if someone was hurt by her behavior.  According to her, it was not easy in a male-dominated society to argue harshly with men, however, she had to do it when it came to the rules of the House.

Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro thanked opposition parties for supporting the government in passing many important laws and resolutions in the assembly. Khuhro claimed that the PPP had done many extraordinary things in the last 10 years and the Sindh Assembly had set a precedent by making more laws as compared to the other provincial assemblies of the country. "One should admit its mistakes too. We might have committed mistakes. It is high time to learn from the past," he said.

Leader of the Opposition Khawaja Izharul Hasan said he had learnt a lot while participating in the assembly proceedings. Joining others, he also praised the speaker for being unbiased and neutral. He, however, expressed concern over lack of facilities provided to the opposition leader. "In this whole tenure, I struggled to get a fax machine and internet connection for my office, but all in vain."



Hasan drew the House's attention towards protesting teachers outside the assembly and requested the chief minister to resolve their issue on the last day of his government.

Durrani informed the session that he was the third person in his family who got the privilege of being elected as the speaker. "I am thankful to my party leadership for giving me the opportunity to chair this House, which passed the first resolution to demand the creation of Pakistan and where the father of nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah used to sit," he said.  The speaker also thanked the opposition leader and other MPAs for cooperating with him in the last five years. "We have completed five years diligently, irrespective of small protests which happen all over the world in assembly sessions," he said.

Mehtab Akhtar Rashdi of Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) said people in Sindh were compelled to drink contaminated water and the lawmakers failed to resolve their issues. According to her, the assembly did set a precedent of making many laws, however, at the same time the government failed to implement them. "We witnessed how people succumbed to their injuries in hospitals owing to lack of facilities. We have seen this while sitting on these benches, but could not resolve the poors' problems."

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentary Leader Khurrum Sher Zaman also spoke on the occasion. Later, the session was prorogued,  after which a photo session and award distribution ceremony was held.



In the ceremony, lawmakers were awarded certificates by the speaker for their performance in the House. However, ironically, the recipients also included those MPAs who were seen in the assembly once in a blue moon.