MQM moves Provincial Autonomy Bill in National Assembly

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday presented Provincial Autonomy Bill (Constitutional Amendment Bill-2009) in the National Assembly, focusing on provincial autonomy by abolishing the concurrent list. The draft bill, moved by Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, was referred to the concerned standing committee by the Speaker, as Minister did not oppose it for law, Justice and Human Rights Farooq H Naek.
In the draft bill, the MQM endorsed three clauses of the 17th Amendment Bill, including 33 percent women seats in the parliament, joint electorate system and 18-year voter's age. It is the same draft as presented by the MQM during the last Assembly, which latter automatically nullified with the expiration of the previous assembly's term.
The MQM has recently joined the Federal Cabinet with two portfolios and apparently had not endorsed the Pakistan People's Party point of view to bring a consensus bill on the 17th amendment, which was carved by former President Pervez Musharraf in a bid to concentrate entire power in the presidency. In the 2009 Constitutional Amendment Bill, the MQM recommended complete autonomy to the federating units, except for defence, foreign affairs and currency.
Meanwhile, PPP MNA Yasmeen Rehman introduced two bills in the National Assembly. The first bill pertained to the Quality Check on Baby and Cosmetics Bill, 2009, and the second Special Citizens (Right to Concessions in Movement) Bill, 2009.
Earlier on calling attention notice, Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour said 168,613 acres of railway land from Peshawar to Karachi had been encroached and efforts were under way to get back this land. He said that efforts were under way to improve performance of railways and provide better services to commuters despite loss.
He said the Railways was replacing its 100-year-old track, besides dualisation to enhance speed of the trains that would help curtail travel time. He said under an agreement, China would provide China would deliver 75 locomotives to Pakistan Railways and out of these, 15 would delivered by China, while 16 would be manufactured in Pakistan which would help improve the railways performance.
The minister said that railway was facing deficit of Rs 31 billion. Only last year, the railways suffered Rs 16 billion loss, however, measures were being taken to reduce this loss. Earlier, the house condemned the killing of the Chairman of Hazara Democratic Front, and offered Fateha for the departed soul. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan informed the house that probe into his assassination was under way and the house would be informed regarding this investigation.
The minister, responding to a point of order, said that the people and the government of Pakistan were grateful to Bangladesh parliament for paying tributes to Benazir Bhutto. On another calling attention notice, MNAs from Karachi invited the attention of the concerned authorities towards the burgeoning sea pollution, causing a grave concern among the people of the largest city.
Yasmin Rehman pointed out that all the drainage and industrial waste flow to sea was causing death of thousands of fishes. She said that due to polluted sea, fishery business in Karachi had badly damaged, causing a negative impact on the foreign exchange earning from the export of fish.
Sohaib Mansoor said that due to the sea pollution in Karachi economy had badly affected, as fish was a major valued-added export commodity. He proposed formation of a parliamentary committee to check pollution. Abdul Qadeer Patel alleged that around 80 percent waste was thrown into the sea due to absence of any recycling unit.