Criminal case withdrawal: Tempers run high in MQM camp
Party legislators boycott assembly proceedings for second day.
Speaker Nisar Khuhro trying to persuade the MQM’s Faisal Subzwari to return. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
All lawmakers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement boycotted the Sindh Assembly on Friday in protest over the government’s decision to withdraw criminal cases against activists of the defunct Lyari Peoples Amn Committee (PAC).
A day earlier MQM members accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of patronising criminals and target killers and staged a walk-out during the in-camera proceedings of the assembly.
On Friday the angry legislators had gathered in front of the main entrance of the assembly building and chanted slogans against the PPP government. They were also holding placards inscribed with slogans: Yeh ghundagardi naheen chalegi (We will not allow this hooliganism.
However, the session, which started with Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in chair, was marked by the first-ever show of resistance from opposition members who wanted the legislative business deferred over a lack of quorum. Quorum means that one-fourth of members need to be present for any decisions to be made.
The question-answer session lasted only five minutes because the MPAs who asked the questions were not present and no other member asked any supplementary question. After this, the law minister sought permission to put forward the “Sindh Public Procurement (Amendment) bill, 2013. But the opposition’s Nusrat Seher Abbasi and Arif Mustafa Jatoi drew the speaker’s attention toward the shortage of members. “This is important legislation. The quorum is not complete; therefore the legislation cannot be taken up,” she said.
She asked the speaker to start counting the members as out of 168 MPAs hardly 39 were present. “At least one-fourth of the house which stands at 42 must be present to conduct business,” she said.
Law minister Ayaz Soomro and information minister Sharjeel Memon insisted, however, that the proceedings should continue despite the lack of quorum. But MPA Arif Jatoi referred to the rules of the assembly. “Rules have precedent over practice,” he said. “You cannot take up the business if the house lacks quorum.”
Jam Madad Ali, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-F, also said that one should not compromise on quorum when it came to important legislation.
The law minister moved a motion and the bill was deferred.
Earlier, Arif Mustafa Jatoi criticized the procurement bill and said that it was in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. “The PPP government has set a new tradition of violating the rules. You are going to legalise wrongdoings in the name of national interest,” he said. “Why is this law being passed to authorize the provincial government and its bureaucrats to ignore PPRA rules on procurement?”
As a few members of the PPP entered the house, the speakers drew the attention of lawmakers to the quorum and said, “It seems now the quorum is complete and you can move any legalisation you want.” Later, the law minister moved another bill “Jacobabad Institute of Medical Science”. The house passed it unanimously.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2013.
All lawmakers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement boycotted the Sindh Assembly on Friday in protest over the government’s decision to withdraw criminal cases against activists of the defunct Lyari Peoples Amn Committee (PAC).
A day earlier MQM members accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of patronising criminals and target killers and staged a walk-out during the in-camera proceedings of the assembly.
On Friday the angry legislators had gathered in front of the main entrance of the assembly building and chanted slogans against the PPP government. They were also holding placards inscribed with slogans: Yeh ghundagardi naheen chalegi (We will not allow this hooliganism.
However, the session, which started with Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in chair, was marked by the first-ever show of resistance from opposition members who wanted the legislative business deferred over a lack of quorum. Quorum means that one-fourth of members need to be present for any decisions to be made.
The question-answer session lasted only five minutes because the MPAs who asked the questions were not present and no other member asked any supplementary question. After this, the law minister sought permission to put forward the “Sindh Public Procurement (Amendment) bill, 2013. But the opposition’s Nusrat Seher Abbasi and Arif Mustafa Jatoi drew the speaker’s attention toward the shortage of members. “This is important legislation. The quorum is not complete; therefore the legislation cannot be taken up,” she said.
She asked the speaker to start counting the members as out of 168 MPAs hardly 39 were present. “At least one-fourth of the house which stands at 42 must be present to conduct business,” she said.
Law minister Ayaz Soomro and information minister Sharjeel Memon insisted, however, that the proceedings should continue despite the lack of quorum. But MPA Arif Jatoi referred to the rules of the assembly. “Rules have precedent over practice,” he said. “You cannot take up the business if the house lacks quorum.”
Jam Madad Ali, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-F, also said that one should not compromise on quorum when it came to important legislation.
The law minister moved a motion and the bill was deferred.
Earlier, Arif Mustafa Jatoi criticized the procurement bill and said that it was in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. “The PPP government has set a new tradition of violating the rules. You are going to legalise wrongdoings in the name of national interest,” he said. “Why is this law being passed to authorize the provincial government and its bureaucrats to ignore PPRA rules on procurement?”
As a few members of the PPP entered the house, the speakers drew the attention of lawmakers to the quorum and said, “It seems now the quorum is complete and you can move any legalisation you want.” Later, the law minister moved another bill “Jacobabad Institute of Medical Science”. The house passed it unanimously.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2013.