Bill to revive Police Order, 2002 in Sindh referred to select committee

It empowers CM and his authorised persons to alter, repeal or amend previous orders

KARACHI: Sindh government introduced on Friday a bill to repeal Police Act, 1861 and revive the Police Order, 2002, giving all powers to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his authorised persons to alter, repeal or amend previous orders.

The orders include rules (by-laws, regulations, notifications and other legal instruments), proceedings taken and appointments made as well as acts by any authority or person between July 13, 2011, and the date on which this Act comes into force. The bill moved by MPA Mukesh Chawla was referred to select committee for review and feedback.

Sindh Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Syed Sardar Shah said on Friday that the government has imposed a ban under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to stop burials at Makli necropolis, which is said to be one of the biggest graveyards in the world. During the question and answer session in Sindh Assembly, he said that the government has also installed three weather stations to identify the impact of environment on the site. Replying to a question by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman, the minister added that the construction of 80% of the boundary wall around the graveyard has also been completed and a shuttle service has been initiated for visitors.

Talking about the literature published on Makli, the minister said that many books have been written on it and the recent two include 'Epigraphy of Makli' by Dr Kaleemullah Lashari and 'Makli Monuments Architecture' by Ahmed Hasan Dani.

The minister said that other plans were in progress such as further conservation of fragile monuments, installation of screens to show documentaries as well as improvement of the landscape in line with international standards. "We are going to install CCTV cameras for better security and steps have been taken in light of guidelines given by World Heritage Committee for protection and preservation of the site," he added.

Responding to a question on libraries in Sindh, the minister said that there were a total 23 public libraries of Sindh government, of which three are located in Karachi.  "For a city of three million, three public libraries are not enough," he said requesting that land be identified in the city where more libraries can be established. "There is a thriving reading culture in upper Sindh," said the minister, speaking about Shahnawaz Bhutto Library in Larkana where around 5,000 people come daily to study for exams and read books and newspapers. "People can't find chairs in this library and wait to get space. We have now decided to expand it," he added. He said that government has also set up libraries in Mirpurkhas, but the reading culture there has not taken root.

World Press Freedom Day

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Sindh Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that the government bound the owners of print and electronic media to stop the termination of jobs and deduction of salaries of staff. The resolution moved by Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi was signed by more than a dozen MPAs belonging to treasury and opposition benches. Mutthida Majlis-e-Amal's Abdul Rashid, Sadia Javed of Pakistan Peoples Party and others also spoke on the occasion.

During the session, Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan's (MQM-P) Mohammad Hussain drew the attention of the House towards government schools deprived of furniture and other basic facilities. Speaking on a point of order, he said that some schools were established in 2012 in different areas of Karachi and still haven't received any furniture.

Zaman raised the issue of the pre-Ramazan price hike and asked government to devise a mechanism and provide relief to the people.  Haleem Adil Shaikh, parliamentary leader of PTI, criticised the provincial government for failing to deal with HIV and AIDS cases in the  province and said, "I had raised this issue three months ago pointing out such cases that emerged in Hyderabad. If the government had taken timely action, we could have averted the crisis in Larkana".

Health Minister Dr Azra Pechucho, briefing the house, said that the government has limited resources and can't reach all corners of the province, but, she added, the government was making effort to resolve the problem. Updating the House on the HIV cases, she said the doctor responsible for it in Larkana had been arrested.

Later the session was adjourned till May 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2019.