Ruckus mars assembly session

Opposition walkout over rampant inflation

KARACHI:

The Sindh Assembly session on Monday was marred by disorder with lawmakers from the government and the opposition involved in a terse exchange over rampant inflation which was followed by a walkout by members of the opposition.

The pandemonium broke out in the House after Speaker Agha Siraj Durani did not allow Leader of the Opposition Haleem Adil Shaikh to speak on a point of order on the issue.

"I want to speak on an important and public interest issue," the opposition leader said after the speaker started the proceedings.

The speaker asked Shaikh to let him finish the agenda first. "I can't allow you to speak at this moment."

Upon this, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members of provincial assembly (MPAs) gathered near the speaker's podium and raised slogans over inflation and against the provincial government. Many MPAs tore the copies of the agenda.

Durrani's efforts to restore order fell on deaf ears. "If you are not interested in the session, then I will adjourn it," he said while asking them to let him complete the agenda.

As PTI MPAs continued their protest, the speaker adjourned the session for 10 minutes.

Following the break, the speaker expressed concern over the uproar in the House.

He observed that the session had resumed after a break of many days. "Unfortunately, some of our colleagues are not interested in running the session in a smooth way," he said while blaming the opposition leader for the ruckus.

During the session, the MPAs belonging to different parties moved several call attention notices on street crimes, land grabbing and other issues.

Malik Shahzad Awan of PTI drew the attention of the House towards encroachment on amenity plots and bus stands. "I want to know what actions are taken to free amenity plots and other public properties from the clutches of the mafia," he said.

Shahana Ashr of MQM moved a call attention notice on street crimes. She observed that suspects impersonating as police officers were robbing citizens in Karachi.

"CCTV installed in the city remain non-functional," she said, adding that people were robbed outside ATMs. "I want to know when will we see an end to the lawlessness in Karachi," she said.

Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro responded that street crime took place in cities around the world. "Here, the citizens don't cooperate with the police and don't register their complaint," he observed while lauding the police.

Another MPA Mangla Sharma of MQM raised the murder case of a child domestic worker who was allegedly tortured to death by the house owner. "We have laws against domestic violence and the Sindh government had set up the Sindh Child Protection Authority too, but all seems to be in vain. The laws and authority exist only on papers."

Khurum Sher Zaman of PTI raised the issue of wheat shortage and the government's failure to meet procurement targets."The government had announced it will provide wheat flour at Rs65 per kg. Scores of people are seen standing in long queues waiting to get it, but it proved just a political gimmick," he observed.

Shoro said that wheat stocks had depleted following the heavy floods. "The government is working hard to meet the procurement targets. We have also fixed Rs4,000 support price for 40kg of wheat," Shoro said.

Later the speaker adjourned the session till Tuesday.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2023.