Another day, another protest in PA

Opposition’s demonstration forces speaker to adjourn session

KARACHI:

Opposition protests meant another chaotic day at the Sindh Assembly on Thursday as the parties carried placards and shouted slogans.

The demonstrations forced the hand of the speaker to adjourn the session till Friday (today). It was the sixth consecutive day when lawmakers from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) created pandemonium with the help of PTI MPAs.

Through their slogans which echoed in the house, the parties demanded the supply of water and an end to the ruling government's alleged highhandedness. The situation grew tense from the outset of the session when Durrani gave the floor to PPP MPA Shahina Sher Ali.

The MQM MPAs, in an orchestrated move, stood up from their seats and protested. Despite the uproar in the house, the speaker asked the PPP MPA to continue her speech. Shahina Sher Ali had a brief chance to laud the provincial government's introduction of dozens of new schemes in health, education and other sectors.

Read more: Ruckus in Sindh Assembly over water scarcity

She slammed the PTI federal government for ignoring Sindh in its Public Sector Development Program by not incorporating relevant schemes. Responding to PTI MPAs' protests, she pointed out that the opposition always spoke of model/actress Ayyan Ali's association with PPP.

"I want to learn how Tik Tok influencer Hareem Shah entered the PM house and took a photo while sitting in the prime minister's chair," she asserted. The PPP MPA suggested that accountability start from Imran Khan's sister then others should be arrested.

The PTI and MQM parliamentarians continued their protest which prompted the speaker to adjourn the session for 10 minutes. As proceedings resumed, disgruntled PTI MPA Shaheryar Shar, who was sitting on the treasury benches, took to the floor. His party members immediately started shouting slogans, accusing him of being a traitor.

Shar spoke of the discrimination against his home district of Ghotki, one of the largest gas and oil producing fields in Pakistan. "Despite the exploration of oil and gas, the local people are compelled to light lanterns/lamps in their villages rather than enjoying electricity," he said.

Criticising the federal government and its authorities for reducing Sindh's share in water, he said the people of the province would fight till their last breath to get their due.

Grand Democratic Alliance'a (GDA) Nand Kumar Goklani started his speech by outlining the performance of the Pakistan Peoples Party which has been in charge for 13 years. He believed the party failed to deliver.

"They have increased the annual development programme, but what about the current year's funds?" he questioned. The MPA said the level of discrimination against opposition MPAs had reached new records. "If Benazir Bhutto was alive, the situation would have been different," he said.

He claimed not a single scheme had been added to the budget in consultation with opposition parties. "Our constituencies are totally neglected in terms of development work. I want to ask if we and our areas are not part of Sindh," he asked rhetorically.

Goklani, who hails from Sanghar district, quoted the example of a government hospital in his town. He said 127 positions had been sanctioned for the medical facility, but only 25 employees were working in the hospital.

"The positions of physicians, surgeons and child specialists have been lying vacant for years." He added that there was not a single girls' college in the Jam Nawaz Ali tehsil of Sanghar district. Goklani went on to criticise the PPP government for ignoring his hometown in terms of the health and education sectors.

"They are planning to set up a National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in all districts, excluding Sanghar which is the second largest cotton growing district of Pakistan."

He cried foul over the forced conversion of Hindu girls in Sindh and demanded the government take up the bill which he has submitted in the assembly in 2019.

Qasim Soomro of PPP, who also happens to be the parliamentary secretary of the health department, briefed the house about health initiatives. "Those who criticise the Sindh government's health department always approach me for the admission of their patients," he said.

The PPP leader said state-of-the-art facilities were being provided at hospitals in Karachi where people benefit without spending a single penny.

During his speech, the opposition continued to protest. The speaker, addressing opposition members, warned the budget would be passed without further debate if the situation continued. "It seems the opposition members are not interested in a debate on the budget. We can pass it tomorrow if nobody is willing to take part," he said.

Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Shaikh said that he would talk to his fellow MPAs who were dismayed over a number of issues, including the neglecting of Karachi in the development budget.

Ghulam Qadir Chandio of PPP called the move "blackmail" and suggested the speaker pass the budget without further debate. Over these remarks, the opposition members created an uproar which forced the speaker to adjourn the session till Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2021.