The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution, Functions and Powers) Amendment Bill, 2011 into a law to curb terrorism in the province and pursue criminal cases effectively. The bill was introduced seeking amendment to the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Services (Constitution, Functions and Powers) Act 2009.
"With a view to empower the government to curb the menace of terrorism in the province and pursue criminal cases effectively, it is expedient to make some suitable amendments in the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Services Act, 2009," the bill's statement of objectives and reasons says.
Later, Sindh Information Minister Shazia Mari criticised the media for "misreporting" proceedings of the provincial assembly's Tuesday session regarding the resolution tabled by PML-F's legislator Nusrat Sehar Abbasi on non-arrests of "Karo Kari" culprits in the province.
She harshly criticised a leading English newspaper for its report that a treasury member of PPP, Rafiq Engineer had opposed the bill. Ahmad Ali Shah also alleged that various sections of the media were misreporting the house's proceedings on a daily basis. Similarly, Syed Sardar Ahmad also called it "wrong-reporting".
But, Education Minister Mazhar-ul-Haq went a step ahead to expose what he called "ghost teachers" who were in fact working for different media organisations across the province. Though, it could not be clear whether the senior minister was criticising the journalists, his department's ghost employees, or himself for the whole mismanagement under his nose.
He also blamed himself and the ghost employees for the declining standard of education in the province. He said these civil servants had been continuously playing a role of journalists for the last 15 years. However, Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmad Khohro said though the media reports were not reflecting the house's exact proceedings, it was still playing a significant role. He finally asked the members to wind up the criticism of media and take up the house business.
A resolution presented by PPP's minority lawmaker, Khursheed Khokhar was unanimously passed, which demanded of the Sindh Assembly to ask the Punjab government to take strict action against the makers and sellers of shoes bearing "sacred cross" mark on them. Earlier, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro told the Speaker that he had dispatched a letter to the Punjab government about the issue and its seriousness, however if Khokhar wanted to present it during the session it was his discretion.
Khokhar was of the view that though the Sindh government had raised the issue with the Punjab government, the resolution through Sindh Assembly would send a unanimous message of the province. One resolution of Nusrat Sehar Abbasi on installation of substandard CNG kits was dropped from the day's proceedings and deferred it for the next session because of some amendments suggested by the members on technical and other grounds. The house was adjoined till Thursday morning.
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