Sombre session at PA amid recent deaths

Lawmakers pass resolution to pay tribute to late PPP MPA Jam Madad Ali Khan

KARACHI:

With several provincial lawmakers absent after having contracted Covid-19, the Sindh Assembly session on Friday began an hour late in a sombre atmosphere as those present held a prayer session for recently deceased politicians and passed a resolution to pay tribute to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Jam Madad Ali Khan, who died of Covid-19.

As the assembly convened, Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Chawla requested Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani to suspend the house's usual proceedings and let the lawmakers pass a resolution to pay tribute to Khan. He then presented the resolution, which hailed Khan for his "unforgettable services for democracy."

Extolling Khan, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said he was respected by even his opponents and his presence would always be felt.

"I last met him at [Sindh Energy Minister] Imtiaz Shaikh's house and he had been told that he had recovered. But his condition deteriorated again," lamented Ghani.

Shaikh described Khan as an "extremely sophisticated man" from a family that had a history in politics.

Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahoo said PPP members were as saddened by Khan's demise as was his family.

When it was her turn to speak, Grand Democratic Alliance MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said Khan had a unique and graceful personality.

"He was a philanthropist and a tasbih [rosary] was always seen in his hand," she said, describing the late lawmaker's piety.

"Khan had always been very welcoming and would enquire about everyone's wellbeing; the person was from his party or another."

The session was adjourned after the resolution was passed.

Earlier, the lawmakers, including former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and opposition leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi, recited Surah Fateha to condole the death of former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, MPA Khan, former federal minister Faqir Jadam Mangrio, former provincial minister Adil Siddiqui, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's mother Begum Shamim Akhtar, Tehreeke- Labbaik Pakistan chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and special assistant to the Sindh chief minister Rashid Rabbani.