Sindh transfers authority over technical board to CM

Government refuses to discuss the issue of load-shedding at water pumping stations

KARACHI:

The Sindh Assembly passed on Friday a law transferring control over the Sindh Board of Technical Education from the governor to the chief minister.

Moving an amendment bill, the minister for parliamentary affairs, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, said: “After the 18th Amendment, the powers have been devolved to the chief minister who is chief executive of the province. Earlier, the boards of secondary and higher secondary education have also been given under the control of CM, therefore we are making the suitable amendment to this law as well,” he said, adding that the chief minister will now look after the board’s affairs and governor will remain the chancellor of universities.  After his brief discussion, the assembly unanimously passed the ‘Sindh Board of Technical Education (Amendment) Bill, 2015’.



During the session, which was presided over by speaker, Agha Siraj Durrani, the opposition lawmakers raised the issue of a formula to fix the fees charged by private schools. Speaking on his call attention notice, Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPA Shaharyar Mahar said: “Can the minister for education and literacy please tell us about any formula to fix the fees in private schools existing in the province? Whether there is any committee in the education department that approves the fee structure for private schools?”

As the newly-appointed education minister, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, was not present in the house, having left the session minutes before the question was raised, Dr Mandho defended his government. “We have a committee that registers schools, monitors their activities and inspects the private schools to fix the fee formula. We take action and penalise those schools that defy government rules,” he said.

Load-shedding at pumping stations

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Heer Ismail Soho requested the provincial assembly to adjourn the proceedings to discuss an urgent matter of public importance. “Due to load-shedding at pumping stations, the citizens are suffering from acute water shortage. This is a very important issue, so please discuss this on this floor,” she said. The local bodies minister, Nasir Shah, however, opposed the motion. This prompted the speaker to term it out of order and against the rules. She tried to convince the house and insisted to take up the issue, but her efforts were in vain. Ultimately, the government refused to entertain the motion ‘of public importance’, terming it out of order.

Bills introduced

During the session, three bills were also introduced. These included the Sindh Zakat and Ushr (Amendment Bill), Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana (Amendment Bill) and Malir University of Science and Technology, Karachi Bill. The ordinance, ‘Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’, promulgated by the governor a few days earlier, was also laid before the provincial assembly.

The speaker announced that the government had given his assent to nine bills passed in the last session. They include the Sindh Service Tribunals (second amendment) Bill, Sindh Security of Vulnerable Establishment Bill, Sindh Service Tribunal (third amendment) Bill, Jinnah Sindh Medical University (Amendment) Bill, Sindh Workers Welfare Fund Bill, Indus University of Health Science Bill, The AO Postgraduate Institute of Orthopaedic Science Bill and the Sindh Finance Bill.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2015.