Offering Fateha: Sindh lawmakers pay respect to the dead but only their own
Opposition members annoyed that respects only paid to Bhuttos at start of every session.
A long list of deceased people are offered respect before the Sindh lawmakers sit down to talk business. PHOTO: IRFAN ALI/EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
When it comes to paying respect, it seems the lawmakers in Sindh pay a little too much.
The treasury members have come under attack for offering Fateha only for people related to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). After the recitation of the Holy Quran, a Fateha is offered for those notable people who have lost their lives between the last session and the ongoing one. The PPP has, however, set a trend of offering Fateha for its leaders long gone, much to the displeasure of other parties.
In the last Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday, a few members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) wanted to know why Fateha is only offered for Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shahnawaz and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. “Our people have also rendered their services? Why does the maulana sahib not mention their names” an MPA asked.
The PPP ministers took strong exception to this statement. “ZA Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir have given sacrifices of their lives,” said senior education minister Nisar Khuhro. “You people can also ask for prayers for your people,” Khuhro clarified. This has resulted in a long list of deceased people who are offered respect before the Sindh lawmakers sit down to talk business. Prayers have been offered for the parents and brothers of MQM chief Altaf Hussain. Each time the maulana takes the requested names, he takes a meaningful look at the relevant opposition and treasury members.
Former PPP MPA Rashida Panhwar, of the previous assembly, was also famous because she always requested Fateha for her party leaders. Now, Shamim Mumtaz, who occupies a reserved seat for women, has taken up this responsibility.
A few months ago, the assembly witnessed a tensed situation when an MQM member requested the House to offer Fateha for those who were killed in the late 1980s riots in Hyderabad. Unhappy with the request, the PPP lawmakers put forward their own request for prayers for those killed in Karachi. “During the session, some members divert the attention away from important issues by requesting for Fateha,” said Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Jam Madad Ali. “Our lawmakers use it for their vested interests.” The Fateha part of the session takes up to 40 minutes as MPAs also request prayers for their workers, relatives, and even in-laws.
PPP legislator Sardar Shah suggested the assembly fix a time. “Most of our MPAs do it just so their participation is counted,” he said.
Shah was irked that they have to spend 40 minutes on this when they only get three to four hours for the entire session. “Our members should avoid repetition, pay respect to those souls who have played a role in the society and fix a brief time for this,” he suggested.
Sindh Assembly secretary GM Umar Farooq defended the practice. There are no specific rules but, being a Muslim country, this has been a practice and an essential part of the proceedings. “Any member can request for Fateha irrespective of class and creed,” he said, adding it was the job of parliamentary leaders to fix the time.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2014.
When it comes to paying respect, it seems the lawmakers in Sindh pay a little too much.
The treasury members have come under attack for offering Fateha only for people related to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). After the recitation of the Holy Quran, a Fateha is offered for those notable people who have lost their lives between the last session and the ongoing one. The PPP has, however, set a trend of offering Fateha for its leaders long gone, much to the displeasure of other parties.
In the last Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday, a few members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) wanted to know why Fateha is only offered for Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shahnawaz and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. “Our people have also rendered their services? Why does the maulana sahib not mention their names” an MPA asked.
The PPP ministers took strong exception to this statement. “ZA Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir have given sacrifices of their lives,” said senior education minister Nisar Khuhro. “You people can also ask for prayers for your people,” Khuhro clarified. This has resulted in a long list of deceased people who are offered respect before the Sindh lawmakers sit down to talk business. Prayers have been offered for the parents and brothers of MQM chief Altaf Hussain. Each time the maulana takes the requested names, he takes a meaningful look at the relevant opposition and treasury members.
Former PPP MPA Rashida Panhwar, of the previous assembly, was also famous because she always requested Fateha for her party leaders. Now, Shamim Mumtaz, who occupies a reserved seat for women, has taken up this responsibility.
A few months ago, the assembly witnessed a tensed situation when an MQM member requested the House to offer Fateha for those who were killed in the late 1980s riots in Hyderabad. Unhappy with the request, the PPP lawmakers put forward their own request for prayers for those killed in Karachi. “During the session, some members divert the attention away from important issues by requesting for Fateha,” said Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Jam Madad Ali. “Our lawmakers use it for their vested interests.” The Fateha part of the session takes up to 40 minutes as MPAs also request prayers for their workers, relatives, and even in-laws.
PPP legislator Sardar Shah suggested the assembly fix a time. “Most of our MPAs do it just so their participation is counted,” he said.
Shah was irked that they have to spend 40 minutes on this when they only get three to four hours for the entire session. “Our members should avoid repetition, pay respect to those souls who have played a role in the society and fix a brief time for this,” he suggested.
Sindh Assembly secretary GM Umar Farooq defended the practice. There are no specific rules but, being a Muslim country, this has been a practice and an essential part of the proceedings. “Any member can request for Fateha irrespective of class and creed,” he said, adding it was the job of parliamentary leaders to fix the time.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2014.