Opposition walks out of session in protest

As the Sindh government has been hastily passing bills before dissolving the provincial assembly, the joint opposition on Monday protested and walked out of the session.

The house echoed with different slogans, when the government presented seven different bills including The Sindh Local Government (Third Amendment) Bill, 2023 and establishing the water and sewerage corporations in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas.

In the last 14 sittings, more than 30 bills on different issues have been passed. "We are not against the legislation, but bills must be passed with proper debate, consultation. Otherwise, the essence of true legislation is killed," Leader of the Opposition Rana Ansar said adding, "On one hand the government is making its legislation in a haste while on the other, more than 100 private bills submitted by opposition members are gathering dust in files."

The five bills about establishing the water and sewerage corporations have empowered them to outsource supply of water and maintenance of sewerage other ancillary services and recovery of charges from the consumers and set up the strong communication, complaints mechanism. The bills have given powers to the newly elected mayors to head the corporations. However, the local government act was amended to appoint the inspectors to impose penalties on violators of law.

The pandemonium started in the session when speaker Agha Siraj Durrani started the session and minister for irrigation Jam Khan Shoro who belongs to Hyderabad division, presented the bill about establishing Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation.

"After the 18 amendment, the Sindh government has empowered different departments, corporations and institutions. We passed the same law for Karachi Water and Sewerage Board a few days ago. We wonder why the opposition protests on the good initiatives," Shoro said while reacting to the opposition's protest.

Mohammad Hussain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) called it blind-fold legislation without taking the opposition in the loop. "Government wants to impose its ideas and policies. This does not happen in the true democracy. If you want proper legislation then please send the bills to standing committees for further deliberation and feedback from opposition members and other stakeholders," he remarked.

Mufti Qasim Fakhri of TLP said that the opposition members were not given a chance to read the bills in the session. "We have seen the bill today. How can we support when we don't know about it," he said and joined the opposition protest. The assembly also passed the Karachi Metropolitan University Bill.

During the session, Speaker Agha Siraj informed the lawmakers that there would be a joint farewell photo session of all members on Tuesday followed by lunch arranged by PPP MPA Faryal Talpur. Later, the session was adjourned till today (Tuesday).

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2023.