In session: Chaos reigns as MPAs bicker over vocabulary

Questions regarding appointments of 30,000 fake teachers leads to war of words.

KARACHI:

The issue of fake appointments of over 30,000 teachers in public schools and the use of the word, “incompetent”, used for those teachers, created pandemonium in the Sindh Assembly session on Friday.

The heated argument that ensued, combined with the protest and allegations leveled by MPAs of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against each other, compelled the deputy speaker, Shehla Raza, to adjourn the session without finishing the agenda.



The situation initially took a turn for the worse during the question answer session when opposition members inquired if action would be taken against the former education minister, Pir Mazharul Haq, for the corruption and fake appointments during his tenure. The incumbent education minister, Nisar Khuhro, was also asked why no action had been taken against the officials involved in the racket.

Khuhro confirmed that the bogus orders for the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff, issued by the former directors of school education and district education officers, were beyond the sanctioned strength and were in violation of the rules. Presenting a list of 12 officers involved in the racket, he informed the lawmakers that the officers had been suspended and served show-cause notices. “Soon after our action, they have filed constitutional petitions challenging their suspension,” he said. “The matter is now sub judice. The government has not given any administrative post to these officers.”

Members of the opposition, belonging to the MQM and the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PLM-F), however, expressed dissatisfaction with the steps taken by the government. They repeatedly asked Khuhro why the officers were not ‘dismissed’ from service. “It seems you have suspended them as a mere formality,” alleged Khalid Ahmed of the MQM.

The thing that sparked a heated debate and the string of accusations from both sides was the use of the word ‘incompetent’ to describe the teachers. The house subsequently wore the look of a fish market as MPAs from both sides screamed on top of each other. “This is very unfortunate. You are calling the people of Sindh incompetent, just as General (retd) Pervez Musharraf had done in the past,” alleged Khuhro. At this point, the MQM MPAs stood up from their seats in protest to Khuhro’s remarks. “We said the teachers were incompetent, not the people of Sindh,” of the MPAs clarified.

What followed was a round of nitpicking and pin-pointing as members from both the parties tried to establish their loyalties to the people of Sindh. “We too belong to this province,” said Khawaja Izharul Hassan of the MQM. “How can we use such a word for our people? Please give us a chance to clarify our viewpoint. Do not misquote us,” he stressed, requesting the speaker for a chance to speak.

The PPP MPAs, including Nisar Khuhro and Sharjeel Memon, sitting in the front row of the treasury benches, were having none of it, however. “You have used the word [incompetent] for the people of Sindh and we will not tolerate it,” said Khuhro.

It seemed like the PPP minister was deliberately distorting the issue to counter the allegations leveled by MQM lawmakers earlier as to why Karachi and Hyderabad were being neglected with regards to development schemes. Not a single development scheme has been initiated in the last nine months and funds of MQM MPAs have been stopped, they alleged.

With the situation quickly getting out of hand, the deputy speaker desperately tried to console the members of both parties, warning to adjourn the session if they did not settle down. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as several members tore copies of the agenda and hurled them at their rivals’ benches.

Discrimination: Opposition MPAs decry lack of funds

Members of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional, protested the government’s attitude for not releasing funds to them.

MQM’s parliamentary leader, Syed Sardar Ahmed pointed out that the Sindh government had not released any funds for development schemes to MPAs of the opposition benches. “Every MPA had been requested to submit proposals for development schemes under the Taamir Pakistan Programme,” he said. “Each member was supposed to be allotted Rs40 million.” He said that his party’s members had submitted proposals for various schemes, but not a single one had been approved. “The officials are simply making lame excuses.”

Meanwhile, funds had been released to the PPP lawmakers and development work already started in their constituencies, alleged Ahmed. “We want to know why you are victimising the people of Karachi.”

The minister for parliamentary affairs, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, attempted to clarify the government’s position by saying that even the PPP MPAs had not been given the funds. MQM and PTI MPAs, however, would not give up so easily. “We have obtained the official records of the release of funds to the PPP MPAs,” said one of the members.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.