The Sindh Assembly witnessed bedlam again on Friday as the house passed amendments in its rules of procedure - allowing the Sindh chief minister's advisors and special assistants to give answers for their relevant departments - despite opposition protest.
The house rang with vociferous protest from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) lawmakers, who shouted slogans as amendment to rule 267 was passed with minor votes from the treasury benches.
"We have 34 members on opposition benches, while 20 MPAs are sitting on the government side. How can you pass [these] rules," asked PTI MPA Firdous Shamim Naqvi, indignantly. He added that all opposition lawmakers had been unaware about this amendment, which was moved in haste. "We have no idea what the amendment is all about."
'Burden on resources'
Before the house took up amendments to the rules, which were mentioned but not specified on the agenda, GDA lawmaker Arif Mustafa Jatoi moved a call attention motion on the same issue and asked the parliamentary affairs minister about the number of special assistants in the Sindh cabinet.
"Will the minister inform the house that the Sindh government has over 17 special assistants and the Punjab government has only four, when the population of Sindh is 50 million compared to Punjab's 110 million," said Jatoi.
He was of the view that huge funds besides perks and privileges were being given to special assistants, who according to him enjoyed all protocol and facilities at par with ministers. "I suggest you remove extra special assistants to reduce burden on resources and save millions of rupees."
To this, Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla replied that each province had its own rules. "We have 18 ministers in cabinet while Punjab has more than 36 ministers," he said, adding that all decisions are made in accordance with the law.
New rules
As the session moved on, briefing on the rules and the proposed amendment, Chawla informed the house that the provincial government wished to amend rule 267. "Under current rules, the parliamentary minister and those MPAs who have been made parliamentary secretaries of different departments can answer departmental questions asked by lawmakers. Now, we are adding special assistants and advisors to the chief minister in the list."
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Chawla, who also holds the portfolios of excise and taxation, narcotics control and food minister, added that the Sindh cabinet had already given the green signal for amending the rules and procedure of assembly.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, the Sindh Assembly secretary clarified that only elected members of the house, who are appointed as special assistants and advisors can give answers. "Earlier, there was no mention about advisors and special assistants in the particular rule of assembly, which has today been amended," he said.
'Passed in haste'
During the session, the opposition benches decried that the government had moved and passed the law in haste. "We have no idea what the amendment is all about," said Naqvi.
When counting was done, fewer lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were present as compared to the opposition but a few treasury members joined in via video link for the hybrid session. Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani passed the amendment despite the opposition's protest.
"The speaker has bulldozed all rules today [by] supporting his party with this amendment," decried MQM-P's Muhammad Hussain. The government is trying to bring unelected members, who have been given different portfolios, into the house, he said.
Meanwhile, GDA's Abdul Razzaque Rahimoon was of the view that the amendment was not clearly stated on the agenda. It is evident today before the media and the public, how the house is being run in violation of all rules and norms of the provincial assembly, he said.
Rahimoon added that Durrani has hastily moved the amendment asking those in support to say 'aye' and those against it to say 'no'.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2021.
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