Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Assembly (SA) session on Friday turned turbulent on exchange of words between Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s lawmaker Saifuddin Khalid and the Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza and in protest MQM lawmakers staged token walked out from the house pertaining over violent incident of public-police clash in Orangi Town last month.

The assembly session started an hour delay at about 10.58am with the Deputy Speaker Syeda Shehla Raza in the chair. On the start of the session only 19 members of provincial assembly were present in the house, among them 16 were from treasury and three from opposition benches.

During a point of order deputy speaker and the MQM lawmaker started arguments. The commotion started when the MQM lawmaker wanted to talk on public issues and share his grievances, he was interrupted by Shehla Raza with an order that he would be allowed to speak on floor but after completion of agenda. The MQM lawmaker refused to proceed by the speakers ruling , on this MQM’s leader Sardar Ahmed tried to settle him down.

During the question hour on a call attention notice, Saifuddin Khalid got hyped up and tried to continue his speech. He wanted to highlight the police firing incident in Orangi Town and the outcome of the incident.

MQM lawmakers said why we are not allowed to discuss our grievances. Why our privilege motions are being bulldozed. Khalid complained that he was not being allowed to talk about the issues. In response, the deputy speaker Shehla Raza instructed MPA Khalid to follow the assembly guidelines. “I will not entertain your ‘call attention’ notices,” she warned.

She then closed down the opposition’s microphones that prompted MQM’s lawmakers to stage a walkout from the assembly. MQM lawmaker Mohammed Hussain again seked permission from the chair to talk on the point of order at call attention notice . In response the deputy speakers did not allow him. Mohammed Hussain while addressing the chair criticized that she has been running assembly business discriminatorily. Later, all opposition members staged walk out.

Afterwards, report on Livestock bill was presented in the house which was passed by the house.

Senior provincial minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro after passing of the bill on point of order termed that it is the charm of the assembly that opposition should also go along. This is not fair to stage walkout on petty issues, he remarked. Nisar Khuhro put an advice before the deputy speakers that all parliamentary leaders should be called in the chamber in order to acquainted with the laws. It is true majority would be honored against minority.

On this the deputy speaker said that she always tried to call all on her chamber in order to resolve the matters amicably and according to the rules. “Who so ever has objections come to my chamber and talk,” she said.

Report of Incident: Earlier, Provincial minister Nisar Khuhro informed the house that armed people were also present during the incident of protest in Orangi Town on 19 February, 2017. Responding to call attention notice of MQM’s MPA Muhammad Hussain on the incident, provincial minister said that a number of people of were injured while a person was killed as protestors in OrangiTown clashed with police.

Meanwhile, house also passed into law the government’s Sindh Livestock Breeding Bill-2016 in the light of report of the house standing committee on Livestock and Fisheries. The bill was aimed at regulation of livestock breeding services in the province.

Later, deputy adjourned the assembly proceeding till Monday 10am.