Signatures on resolution against Bill on new provinces: PPP MPAs tender apology to chief minister Sindh

More than 40 provincial legislators of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), who were signatories to the resolution against the Constitutional Amendment Bill tabled by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the National Assembly proposing amendment to Article 239(4) of the Constitution, have tendered an unconditional apology to Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah in this regard.
Reliable sources told Business Recorder on Friday that PPP leadership was very anger over the MPAs' move of supporting and signing the resolution tabled by National People's Party's Arif Mustafa and Masroor Jatoi on January 19, 2012 in Sindh Assembly.
More than 40 PPP MPAs including Imran Zafar Laghari, Haji Munawar Abbasi (brother of Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi), Mir Ghalib Domki, Sardar Jam Tamachi Unarr, Ahmed Ali Shah, Taimur Talpur, Sadiq Memon, Pitamber Sehwani, Ms Aisha Khoso, Ms Rukhsana Shah, Sharjil Memon, Fayyaz But, Shama Mithani, Humaira Alwani, Rashida Panhwar, Kulsoom Chandio, Anwar Khan Mehar, Rai Naz Bozdar, Dr Sajila Laghari, Dr Sikanadar Shoro and others had signed the resolution without the consent of party's parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly, sources said.
They added that Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah had came to Karachi on the directives of President Zardari a few days ago called the MPAs to Chief Minister's House. Khursheed Shah arranged a meeting of the MPAs at Chief Minister's House, which was presided over by chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, who is also the provincial head of the party. The meeting discussed the resolution's issue. Sources said that Khurshid Shah asked the MPAs to follow the party discipline strictly, otherwise stern action would be taken against those who had signed the resolution without permission of PPP's parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq.
"Many legislators said that the resolution was over a very serious issue so they signed it and they were expecting positive response from the party leadership," the sources added.
Both the leaders made it clear to the MPAs that if anyone wanted to table any resolution, adjournment motion or call attention notice, he/she must consult Parliamentary leader of the party in provincial assembly. They said that the MPAs sought apology from Syed Qaim Ali Shah and promised not to violate party discipline in future.
When one of the signatories of the resolution, Humera Alwani, was contacted in this regard, she confirmed the meeting. "Yes, I and other MPAs were called to CM House for the meeting, but I am still committed to the resolution." She hoped that the special committee would take a better decision about the resolution. It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh Assembly's Special Committee formed to review the resolution would meet again on February 13, 2012. Two meetings of the committee had already held earlier which failed to take a decision regarding the resolution.