Sindh Assembly session: Govt, opposition trade charges against each other

28 Sep, 2021

KARACHI: Opposition in the Sindh Assembly deplored the exhumation of bodies from a graveyard in the province, calling the act as 'shaming' the humanity. Nand Kumar called the attention of the Sindh government to the humanity shaming act of locals in the province, who exhumed 12 bodies, claiming the space in the graveyard was reserved for their 'Syed clan' burials.

He deplored the contempt to the dead and termed the issue a 'challenge' for the PPP rule in the province. In a reply, Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mukesh Kumar Chawla assured the legislature to bring the perpetrators to justice. He said that his party's government has taken the incident 'seriously'.

Earlier, PPP's Imdad Pitafi used the word 'selected' for the federal government, against which GDA's Arif Mustafa widely and loudly protested. Jatoi complained in his speech that Pitafi used a selected word for the GDA, which is a cohesive part of the PTI's federal government, demanding of the chair to expunge 'these words' from the house proceedings.

The selected word caused a noisy protest in the house, as he claimed, "I know who is selected". Mukesh Kumar Chawla and Arif Mustafa Jatoi both exchanged strong words with a threatening note. Jatoi retorted that the prime minister of 1988 was also 'selected'.

Deputy Speaker, Rehana Leghari asked legislators from both side to stick to the daily agenda of the house instead. She also ordered to turn off the Jatoi's microphone and permitted her party's legislator, Mumtaz Jakrani to speak.

This impartial move of her led to the opposition parties' walk out from the house in protest. Latter, the house was prorogued.

The house adopted 'The Sindh Arms (Amendment) Bill 2021', besides sending two to the concerned house committee for further deliberations. The bills were 'The Sukkur IBA (Amendment) Bill 2021', and 'Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2021'.

The chair also permitted an adjournment motion tabled by the treasury's female member, Farhat Seemi on LNG and CNG price hike in the country.

"It is requested to the 'selected' prime minister," to scale back prices of the CNG and LNG since the higher fuel gas rates triggered an increase in the fares of transportation.

MQM's Rashid Khilji rejected the PPP criticism over fuel gas price hike, telling them to be rationale and realist when talking on such issues. He reminded the PPP of its past rule in the centre when it increased the prices of fuel gas and oil.

Imdad Pitafi, a PPP firebrand, called the federal government 'selected' and criticised the MQM and GDA. He said that the federal coalition government is indebted to these two political parties and their quitting will scuttle the PTI rule. He called MQM and GDA 'sinful' for being part of the PTI government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

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