Irritated Sindh Assembly members have suggested that the government wind up the bureau of supply and prices because it has not been able to control inflation for groceries.
In response its exasperated minister, Shoaib Bukhari, told the house on Friday that he simply didn’t have the powers to tackle the problem. “The powers of my department have been diverted to others,” he repeated as the questions poured in. “Nothing is in my control. Give me full clout and you’ll get results.”
While he accepted that prices are at historic highs, he pointed out that district administrations, municipal corporations and the agriculture department were supposed to control them.
But then, as MPA Jam Tamachi Unar pointed out, how come this was just surfacing? How come the department is making plans four years into power rather than doing something? It seems as if the people working in the department are “silent spectators” and have left consumers at the mercy of blackmarketeers. “We suggest winding up the department, if it does not work properly,” he said. “I suggest all of you concentrate on family planning in order to control the growing population.”
Ruling party MPA Dr Ahmed Ali Shah quipped that “too many cooks spoil the broth”, meaning even though there are a large number of government ministers, people’s miseries were growing by the day.
“Too many cooks are on your side, not ours,” retorted Bukhari, referring to MPA Shah’s ruling party, the Pakistan Peoples Party. He went on to explain that in 2008 district coordination officers were given the power to control prices and not his department.
When the lawmakers asked what he had done to gain control, he said that the paperwork was stuck with the chief minister. Until he has the authority, he won’t be able to do anything about profiteering and hoarding. At the most, they have sent some cases to the Anti-Corruption Department. When someone brought up illegal appointments in his own department, he declined to comment, saying that an inquiry was under way. MPAs also brought up a 60 to 80 per cent increase in the price of life-saving drugs. Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed called it a “monopoly” of federal bureaucrats and people in this business. No one had consulted the provincial government before the prices were increased. “This is not only an injustice with the federating units, but a violation of provincial autonomy,” he said.
Sang Chatti (woman as penalty)
MQM MPA Heer Ismail Soho brought up a jirga held on Thursday in Khanpur Mahar village of Ghotki district where two girls have been given in “sang chatti” (penalty) to settle a dispute.
Four months ago, a woman was killed over a perceived slight to family honour. Influential men from the area decided at the jirga to penalise the killers by giving two sisters, Anila, 11, and Jamila, 7, from the family to the aggrieved party. Anila is being forced into marriage with a 40-year-old man, who had killed his wife.
Speaker Nisar Khuhro said that he regretted that this was happening with the girls, but that “Duniya bhar me out-of-court settlements hoti hain.” The world over, there is a practice of out-of-court settlements.
PPP MPA Rahim Bux Bozdar, who belongs to the district, said a case has been lodged against the men who organised the jirga. He said action would be taken against those responsible and no one would implement the jirga’s decision.
MPA Heer Soho later told The Express Tribune that she was not satisfied with the response as the home minister was not present in the session and the law minister did not take it seriously. “I am working on a bill on this issue, which is very sensitive, because after they are married, these girls will be exploited.”
Privilege motion
PPP MPA Javed Shah moved a privilege motion against the Sukkur police, saying that a team raided his farm house on February 3 and arrested his employees without any credible reason. They searched every nook and corner of the farm for about 12 hours, detained his manager and harassed other employees. According to Shah, he contacted the SSP and DIG in vain. “I am a member of this house and the police have not only breached my privilege, but the sanctity of this august house as well,” he added. A committee of nine members will investigate the matter.
The speaker adjourned the session till Saturday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2012.
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