MQM MPA Erum Farooqi speaks during the Sindh Assembly session on Friday, May 21, 2015
KARACHI: Opposition lawmakers in the Sindh Assembly expressed concern over the quota system in government jobs and educational institutions, terming it a violation of merit. The issue was initially raised by Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) MPA Mahtab Akbar Rashdi and was seconded by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers, who demanded an end to the 'discriminatory' system.
During the question-answer session, when the issue of a job quota for minorities in urban areas was raised, Rashdi said: "I think it is high time to get rid of this quota system by giving open merit opportunities to the youth in various fields. This will encourage healthy competition," she said. MQM lawmakers agreed with Rashdi and launched a tirade of criticism against the quota system. "It is an ugly blot on the face of merit," said Muhammad Hussain, adding that this system was only implemented in Sindh and there was no concept of urban and rural division in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan.
Senior minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said the quota system was given constitutional cover and was aimed at ending the discrimination between rural and urban areas. "Since rural areas generally lack facilities, a better opportunity has been given to people from remote areas under the law that was passed during the tenure of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1973," he said, adding that only the parliament with a two-third majority can abolish the quota system.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also defended the quota system. "The majority of women legislators present in this House would have not been members if there was no quota system." Responding to him, the leader of the opposition Khawaja Izharul Hassan said that the women were in the House on reserved seats, not under the quota system. This led to a debate in the House.
Speaker Agha Sijra Durrani interjected between the emotional speeches in favour and against the quota system. "There is no item on today's agenda about the quota system. Why are you making a fuss over this issue?" Durrani asked the lawmakers to focus on proper question answers, instead of debating unnecessarily.
Resolution to pay tribute
A day after the chief minister disclosed the identity of the four terrorists involved in the Safoora Goth bus attack, the assembly unanimously adopted a resolution appreciating the security agencies in general and the police in particular for tracking down the perpetrators. The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Nusrat Sultana, which was also signed by lawmakers of other parties. Khawaja Izharul Hassan demanded the chief minister to disclose the affiliation of the assailants without delay. "They have been affiliated with a religious party's student wing. The party has close links to al Qaeda terrorist outfits and many terrorists have been arrested from the residences of the party's leaders," he said.
100 days completed
After spending 45 days in the session, Durrani prorogued the Sindh Assembly session for an indefinite time. The session started on April 6 and continued with a break of only two to three days.
The number of parliamentary days in a year was increased to 100 from 70 after the passage of the 18th Amendment. Despite the allocation of millions of rupees on each session, the performance of over half the MPAs has been dismal as they have not taken part in most of the proceedings.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2015.
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