Every hour, dogs bite 26 people in Sindh

Pandemonium in Sindh Assembly as PPP lawmakers refute statistics, while opposition tries to discuss the issue

KARACHI: With over 630 cases being reported from across the province on average per day, dog-bites became the latest source of contention between the opposition and the treasury benches in the Sindh Assembly on Monday.

The former accused the government of negligence and apathy, while the latter simply refuted the allegations, claiming the figures to be false. Amid the uproar, the house echoed with slogans of “Sharam karo, doob maro [Have some shame, go drown],” and “Sindh se kutee bhagao, Sindh ko bachao [Evict dogs from Sindh, save Sindh].”

Opposition members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who had brought placards inscribed with various slogans and photos of children mauled by dogs, protested in the house when a few Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPAs called the opposition leader, Fridous Shamim Naqvi, a liar.

Naqvi, on a point of order, had raised the issue of the rising number of dog-bite cases and alleged that PPP ministers and members were negligent and remained mum over the issue.

Seeking the deputy speaker, Rehana Lghari’s permission, Naqvi drew the attention of the house towards the horrific incident in Larkana, where around six stray dogs mauled a minor boy, who was later shifted to a Karachi hospital in critical condition, without the help of the Sindh government.

“The boy was attacked by dogs, but unfortunately, he did not receive first-aid or treatment from the local health authorities.

Two more attacked by stray dogs

They did not even provide an ambulance to the boy’s parents to shift him to Karachi,” said Naqvi.

He added that in the last 10 months, around 186,579 people have been attacked by stray dogs in Sindh. Naqvi was quoting statistics of reported cases collected by the health department, which has been updated till October 21. The figure, as of today, is expected to have crossed 200,000.

When The Express Tribune reached out to the provincial director-general for health services, Dr Masood Solangi, for comment about the uptick in the number of cases, he said that the actual number of victims may be double the reported figure.

“At least half the victims never show up at hospitals and are treated by quacks, local private doctors or pirs,” he explained.

In the assembly, Naqvi implored the lawmakers to seriously discuss the issue.

“This matter is of public importance and all members in this house should be worried, but I am sad to say that the treasury members are silent and don’t utter a single word about it,” he said.

“It looks like the government does not exist. Where are the anti-rabies vaccines and what efforts you have made to deal with the issue?”

While he was speaking, however, PPP MPAs kept challenging the statistics and shouting, “wrong, wrong”.

Haleem Adil Shaikh and other MPAs from the PTI ranks also stood up and protested the PPP lawmakers’ remarks. “Our children in all districts of Sindh are under attack by stray dogs and they are not allowing us to talk on this important issue,” said Shaikh, who was holding a placard in his hand.

The deputy speaker was, however, unmoved and warned Shaikh and the other PTI members to take their seats or she would adjourn the session. No lawmaker from the treasury or opposition benches heeded Leghari’s

warning and the chaos continued in the house, which compelled the deputy speaker to adjourn the session till today (Tuesday). After this, the PTI MPAs chanted, “Saara budget khagae, bhagae bhagae”. Speaking to the media after the session, opposition leader Naqvi expressed dismay over the government’s attitude and for not allowing him to speak on the important issue.

He added that they would continue raising the issue of dog attack incidents in the assembly.

“We will expose the government’s policy and its failure to deal with this sensitive issue," he said.

Privilege motion against IRSA Chairman Earlier, a privilege motion was moved against the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Chairman for flouting the Sindh Assembly’s resolution against the 24-megawatt power plant being built on Chashma Jehlum (CJ) Link Canal.

The privilege motion, moved by PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio, demanded to summon the IRSA chairman in the assembly and take action against him.

“I request to please relax all rules to debate on this sensitive issue because the IRSA chairman has breached the privilege of this house by criticising our resolution,” he said.

“The IRSA chairman calls the resolution adopted by this house unanimously unnecessary and meddling into their affairs. This assembly represents the people of Sindh, so he breached the privilege of this august house.”

In his speech, Chandio told the house that the CJ Link Canal is a flood canal, where a power plant can’t be built.

Rising dog-bite cases

“The CJ canal can be only be opened in the flood season when the River Indus has excess water. But unfortunately, officials sitting in Islamabad and Punjab, with the help of IRSA, have always violated the rules and given permission to open this controversial canal to irrigate the lands of influential people in Punjab,” he said adding that the power plant was being built to convert the CJ link canal from a non-perennial to perennial canal and Sindh would not allow it come what may.

“We live in the tail-end area and cannot allow authorities to build a hydropower plant on the canal,” he remarked and requested the deputy speaker to fix time so that the lawmakers can debate on the issue.

The deputy speaker, while referring to the rules, said that debate can’t ensue on a privilege motion and suggested the parliamentary minister, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, to either move a resolution or an adjournment motion to debate on the issue.

The parliamentary minister agreed and said he would move a motion on Tuesday and all members from the treasury and opposition would speak on it.

“I request you to please refer this privilege motion to a special committee so that action can be taken on it,” he said, while nominating Sharjeel Inam Memon, Aziz Jueno, Qasim Soomro and Imdad Pitafi from the government’s side and Shahayar Mahar of GDA, Mohammad Hussain of MQM-P and Aslam Abro of PTI from the opposition side as members of the special committee.

“The committee will submit its report within two weeks,” he said.

Typhoid vaccines MQM-P MPA Kanwar Naveed raised the issue of the typhoid vaccination drive being initiated by the government in various public and private schools.

Referring to news reports, Naveed said that more than 15 students had become unconscious soon after they were vaccinated.

“I want to request the health minister to look into it,” he said.  Rabia Azfar Nizami of PTI, who has been pursuing the vaccination programme, said that children in many schools are being vaccinated without the consent of parents.

“No one can force children to be vaccinated. The school administration and vaccination team must inquire about the medical history of the children and parents’ consent should be mandatory,” she said.

The parliamentary minister said that the health minister had gone to China for an official visit and the provincial government would look into the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2019.