Back in business: Sindh Assembly session on Sep 25

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has summoned a session of the Sindh Assembly on September 25, after a gap of almost three months. According to the new rules, the provincial assembly must meet every month, but it could not convene the session since the budget was passed on June 25. “We should have met for at least seven days in August and for around 12 days in September, but that did not happen,” said Pakistan Muslim League - Functional parliamentary leader Nand Kumar, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party government was deliberately avoiding the session. According to officials, among the agenda of the upcoming session will be a bill, empowering the Election Commission of Pakistan to undertake the delimitation of union council constituencies. “Supreme Court had ordered the provincial government to empower the election commission by mid-August,” said an official, who did not wish to be named. “The deadline has passed. Now the government is willing to draft a law on this issue.” On the other hand, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also announced to table separate resolutions and an adjournment motion regarding the sectarian killings in Karachi and for holding the local government elections in the province. The PML-F has also submitted a resolution regarding the drought in Tharparkar.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2014.