After long struggle by civil society, the Sindh Assembly on Monday passed a law empowering women to work in night shifts at factories and provide better working conditions including separate toilets, safe transport, equal working hours and removing other work-related restrictions.
The session presided over by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, unanimously passed two separate laws, The Sindh Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Sindh Shops and Commercial Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Both the bills were aimed at providing better facilities to women at work places.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) supported the legislation. However Pakistan Tereek-e-Insaaf (PTI) lawmakers were not present as they continued boycott of the session.
According to the bills, the employers would be bound to provide transportation facility of pick and drop at doorstep to women staffers who stay at workplaces beyond 7pm. However, no woman worker would be forced to work beyond 7pm without her consent. "For the time, we are allowing women to work in night at factories," Chawla said while calling it yet another step towards empowering working women.
Shehla Raza of PTI, Mohammad Hussain of MQM and Nusrat Seher Abbasi of GDA also supported the law.
Sindh Assembly also passed The Sindh Institute of Music and Performing Art Bill, 2020 for establishment of an institute of performing arts at Jamhshoro.
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Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Minister for Culture Sardar Shah said that this institute will promote performing arts.
Meanwhile, The Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021; The Sindh High Density Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and The Sindh Zakat & Ushr (Amendment) Bill, 2021 were also passed by the house while The Sindh Food Fortification Bill, 2020 was introduced and sent to standing committee for further deliberations.
Mishandling of PTI members
Sindh Assembly speaker dismissed the privileged motion moved by Leader of the Opposition, Haleem Adil Shaikh against police for manhandling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) lawmakers by not allowing them in the premises of the assembly last week.
Despite the PTI's boycott of the assembly proceeding over suspension of eight party MPAs, Shaikh alone appeared in the session giving surprise to everyone in order to move his privilege motion. "I have moved a privilege motion against the ban on the entry of our MPAs in session. I request you to allow me to move it," Shaikh said while addressing to Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani who was chairing the session.
The ruling, PPP women stood up and protested asking speaker not to allow the privilege motion moved by Shaikh. "The Leader of the Oppsition has used derogatory words against women and his party members have breached the privilege of this house by bringing funeral of democracy, unethical practice," Heer Sohu of PPP said adding that women would walkout if Shaikh's privilege motion is allowed in the house.
Despite PPP women protest, speaker allowed Shaikh to speak on his privilege motion. The women in protest staged token walkout.
Leader of the Opposition moving the motion said: "Assembly does not belong to ruling party. It's a house for all members." He said that a ban has been imposed on the entry of eight PTI MPAs, which is against the rules. "I request you to summon IGP Sindh in privilege committee of this house because his cops have manhandled members of the house and breached its privilege," Shaikh said.
Minister for parliamentary affairs opposed the privilege motion and said, "this kind of privilege should be moved against PTI instead of police chief."
Speaker Durrani expressed dismay over PTI members who brought "charpai" inside the assembly and took out funeral of democracy creating pandemonium in the house. "This is no way. You have crossed all limits. PTI members have breached the honour of this house," he said and dismissed the motion.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2021.
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