Resolution against amendment to Article 239(4) of Constitution: Sindh Assembly's body to hold further discussion on February 13

The Sindh Assembly's special committee with a mandate to review the controversial resolution moved against the amendment to Article 239(4) of the Constitution, will meet again on February 13 to discuss the matter. The Secretary Provincial Assembly issued a notification on Thursday informing that the special committee of the Sindh PA would meet again on February 13 at 10:30 am.
Well-informed sources inside the political circles told Business Recorder that five members of the committee representing NPP, PML-F, PML-L, PML-Q and ANP were supporting the resolution. The committee comprised of 12 members including PPP's Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Murad Ali Shah, Shazia Mari, Dr Sikandar Mendhro and Ayaz Soomro, MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed and Faisal Sabzwari, NPP's Arif Mustafa Jatoi, PML-F's Jam Madad Ali, PML-L's Abdul Razaq Rahimoon, PML-Q's Shehryar Mehar and ANP's Amir Nawab.
Sources said that according to the Provincial Assembly's rules of business, law minister (in case of member of any committee) and chairman of the committee can not vote on any issue being discussed by the committee. The chairman of committee can only vote in decisive situations like in case of equal votes to decide the matter.
In this connection, when contacted, Arif Mustafa Jatoi, one of the movers of the resolution and member of the committee, alleged that PPP was trying to sabotage the resolution and any such attempt would be foiled. He said that the NPP and other members of the committee would decide their new strategy after next meeting of the committee.
MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of PML-F also alleged that PPP had always tried to sabotage legislation in favour of Sindh and her party would not loose its stand on the resolution. PPP's Humera Alwani hoped that the committee would decide the fate of the resolution in favour of the people of Sindh. While, PPP's another legislator, Sharjil Memon refused to talk about the resolution. Another PPP MPA Imran Zafar Laghari said that the committee members were very senior and politically mature and that they would take a decision acceptable to all stakeholders.
The members of ANP, PML-Q and PML-L could not be reached for their comments on the issue despite many attempts. It may be noted here that most of the members who moved the resolution belong to Pakistan People's Party (PPP). The resolution states: "This assembly recommends to the Sindh government to inform the federal government, national assembly and other federating units that it is opposed to any amendment to article 239 (4) which was specially included in the constitution by its founders and signatories including Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Qaim Ali Shah, Hakim Ali Zardari, Makhdoom Mohammad Zaman (Talib-ul-Mola), Atta Mohammad Mari and Abdul Hafiz Pirzada to give strong constitutional protection to the borders of Sindh, and that any steps which may facilitate the future break up of Sindh will never be allowed either by this assembly or the people of Sindh".