Sindh Assembly: A dull session without agenda
13 out of 168 MPAs showed up.
KARACHI:
It was a dull and drab day at the Sindh Assembly and the session on Friday that lasted two hours had nothing on its agenda except question and answer hour. Out of the 20 questions circulated among the members only three were taken up and even out of these three one went without an answer.
During the whole agenda-less proceedings there was no legislative business. The members even avoided point of order and adjournment motions. They simply exchanged pleasantries with each other all through the session.
As the session started after an hour’s delay with speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro only 13 out of 168 members, that is less than 10 per cent of total strength, were present. Even the required quorum was not there but no member pointed it out. The speaker just started the proceedings with question answer session relating to industries department.
Later talking to The Express Tribune, Arif Mustafa Jatoi of National Peoples Party (NPP) said that the government was not interested in taking up public issues. He said that it was the responsibility of law department to set agenda (order of the day), but there was nothing except question answers. “The government pays around Rs3,500 to 4,000 per day allowance to a member who attends the session. It costs the exchequer Rs0.6 to 0.7 million every day when the assembly is in session,” he said, adding that the total budget of assembly secretariat is around Rs542 million out of which Rs183 million are to be spent on members and the rest on the assembly secretariat.
Jatoi said that people were suffering from inflation, energy crisis and worsening law and order situation. If any member tries to raise a point of order on any of the issues, the treasury members criticise them. “This kind of practice has discouraged many members from attending the session and taking part in the discussion,” he said, adding that the government did not allow them to undertake legislative business. “Only those bills are passed, which are moved by the government, he said, adding that this democratic government has set a precedent by not adopting a single private bill.”
Earlier Sindh Minister for Industries, Rauf Siddiqui, attended to questions. He informed the house that the government has restored the allotment of those industrial plots which were cancelled due to no-utilisation. “We had cancelled the allotment of around 152 industrial plots, which have now been restored on the recommendation of chamber and commerce,” he added. Referring to government policy, he said that after the allotment of an industrial plot the work should be started in six months and an industry must be operational there within two years.
Sindh Information Minister Shazia Atta Marri moved a resolution paying tribute to Benazir Bhutto on her struggle for democracy in Pakistan. Shehla Raza, Humera Alwani, Anwar Mahar of PPP, Shoaib Bukhari of MQM, Nusrat Seher of PML-F and Nuzhat Pathan of PML-Q spoke on it and appreciated the role and sacrifices of the Bhutto family for democracy.
The speaker, however, deferred the resolution for Monday as most of the members wanted to have debate on it. “We are running short of time due to Juma prayers. All members want to talk on the issue before adopting the resolution. Therefore we will resume it later,” he said. Later the speaker adjourned the session till Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2011.
It was a dull and drab day at the Sindh Assembly and the session on Friday that lasted two hours had nothing on its agenda except question and answer hour. Out of the 20 questions circulated among the members only three were taken up and even out of these three one went without an answer.
During the whole agenda-less proceedings there was no legislative business. The members even avoided point of order and adjournment motions. They simply exchanged pleasantries with each other all through the session.
As the session started after an hour’s delay with speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro only 13 out of 168 members, that is less than 10 per cent of total strength, were present. Even the required quorum was not there but no member pointed it out. The speaker just started the proceedings with question answer session relating to industries department.
Later talking to The Express Tribune, Arif Mustafa Jatoi of National Peoples Party (NPP) said that the government was not interested in taking up public issues. He said that it was the responsibility of law department to set agenda (order of the day), but there was nothing except question answers. “The government pays around Rs3,500 to 4,000 per day allowance to a member who attends the session. It costs the exchequer Rs0.6 to 0.7 million every day when the assembly is in session,” he said, adding that the total budget of assembly secretariat is around Rs542 million out of which Rs183 million are to be spent on members and the rest on the assembly secretariat.
Jatoi said that people were suffering from inflation, energy crisis and worsening law and order situation. If any member tries to raise a point of order on any of the issues, the treasury members criticise them. “This kind of practice has discouraged many members from attending the session and taking part in the discussion,” he said, adding that the government did not allow them to undertake legislative business. “Only those bills are passed, which are moved by the government, he said, adding that this democratic government has set a precedent by not adopting a single private bill.”
Earlier Sindh Minister for Industries, Rauf Siddiqui, attended to questions. He informed the house that the government has restored the allotment of those industrial plots which were cancelled due to no-utilisation. “We had cancelled the allotment of around 152 industrial plots, which have now been restored on the recommendation of chamber and commerce,” he added. Referring to government policy, he said that after the allotment of an industrial plot the work should be started in six months and an industry must be operational there within two years.
Sindh Information Minister Shazia Atta Marri moved a resolution paying tribute to Benazir Bhutto on her struggle for democracy in Pakistan. Shehla Raza, Humera Alwani, Anwar Mahar of PPP, Shoaib Bukhari of MQM, Nusrat Seher of PML-F and Nuzhat Pathan of PML-Q spoke on it and appreciated the role and sacrifices of the Bhutto family for democracy.
The speaker, however, deferred the resolution for Monday as most of the members wanted to have debate on it. “We are running short of time due to Juma prayers. All members want to talk on the issue before adopting the resolution. Therefore we will resume it later,” he said. Later the speaker adjourned the session till Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2011.