Daily Times

KARACHI: On Tuesday, the Sindh Assembly faced a ruckus by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) lawmakers over the unanimous rejection of a private resolution in the house. The house passed two resolutions with majority and rejected two resolutions during the second day of the assembly’s spring session. The assembly session started with an hour’s delay, at about 11 a.m, with Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the chair.

The house declared Tuesday a private member’s day. Four private resolutions were tabled by the opposition lawmakers. Two resolutions were tabled separately by Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI), Khurram Sher Zaman’s private resolution on the billing of K-Electric consumers on the meters installed in the metropolis. Another PTI lawmaker’s resolution to the federal government for the early implementation of the reviewed ‘S-3’ project to treat residential sewage and industrial waste water going into the sea, were passed unanimously. The house also rejected two resolutions tabled by Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) Nand Kumar on the Sehwan Suicide Attack, and MQM-P lawmaker Kamran Akhtar’s tabled resolution on declaring Urdu as an official language in Sindh. One resolution was withdrawn by the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) lawmaker, Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar.

PPP parliamentary leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro commenting on the resolution on the Sehwan Suicide Attack that was rejected by a large number of lawmakers said, “We all are hurt by the incident at Sehwan that claimed many innocent lives, and we have already discussed the Sehwan suicide attack in detail.” The chief minister has already given his policy statement on the issue, he informed the house.

Few lawmakers have serious reservations on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and its repercussions. After a rejection of the resolution, the PPP parliamentary leader Nisar Khuhro informed the house that the opposition should have tabled this resolution on Monday. Later, the house rejected the resolution and, in response, the PML-F lawmakers staged a walkout from the house.

Interestingly, the house witnessed a complete division in the opposition benches as PTI lawmakers Khurram Sher Zaman and Dr Seema Zia, and PML-F lawmaker Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar, remained seated and did not join the protest.

PML-F lawmaker Shaharyar Mahar moved a resolution dealing with the poor conditions of government schools in the province and on the need for urgent repairs and maintenance.

Commenting on the resolution, provincial minister, Jam Mehtab Dahar, said out of 4,000 closed government schools, about 700 schools were reopened again and educational activities were held regularly.

He reported that Deputy Commissioners and elected representatives would be a part of the monitoring teams which the provincial government is setting-up. These teams will identify schools in poor conditions that will be repaired without discrimination.

The provincial minister stated it was unfortunate that civil society is not playing its due role in streamlining educational institutions.

Later, Dahar gave assurances on the issue and asked the PML-F lawmaker Shaharyar Mahar to withdraw his resolution which he did accordingly.

The speaker, Agha Siraj Durrani, appreciated the lawmaker for taking this actions.

MQM-P lawmaker Kamran Akhtar moved a private resolution to declare Urdu as the official language in Sindh. He said the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has recently directed the government to promote and implement Urdu as an official language at every level.

While opposing the resolution, Parliamentary minister, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, said that Urdu has the status of our national language. The Sindh Government’s issuance of any notification of implementing Urdu would not be a reasonable act. The Sindh Assembly is using three languages which include English, Urdu, and Sindhi, so the resolution means that the house will not be able to use the Sindhi language.

The speaker asked the MQM lawmaker Kamran Akhtar to withdraw the resolution and he refused. Later, the house rejected the resolution with a large majority.

PTI lawmaker Khurram Sher Zaman moved a private resolution on the billings of K-Electric consumers on the installed meters in the metropolis. The resolution reads that K-Electric is charging Rs 18 per unit from its consumers and looting them by charging the wrong amount. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has only allowed K-Electric to charge Rs18 per Unit during 6pm to 10pm while the rest of the hours are to be charged at Rs12 per unit. Nevertheless, K-Electric is charging Rs18 per unit and violating NEPRA’s declared tariff.

The resolution alleges that K-Electric is charging its consumers 40 percent exaggerated electric bills and collecting billions of rupees from the residents of the metropolis. Zaman also urged the house to form a parliamentary committee and summon the top management of K-Electric before the house and make an inquiry into the issue.

Provincial minister, Shamim Mumtaz, said that K-Electric is under process of being sold and the PPP are opposed to this. Mumtaz believes the Sindh Government should take over K-Electric.

MQM-P parliamentary leader, Syed Sardar Ahmed supported the resolution and said an essential service organization should not be given into the hands of the private sector.

PTI lawmaker, Samar Ali Khan, said it is an important resolution and the entire house is in support of it.

PML-F lawmaker, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, said that K-Electric has victimized every consumer in the metropolis. Consumers are facing hours of load-shedding in the city, but billing is not reduced. Now, news was pouring in that a Chinese Company is buying K-Electric.

MQM-P Lawmaker, Kamal Shah, said K-Electric is looting its consumers in the city. All overhead copper wiring has been replaced with silver wires. Later, the house passed the private resolution unanimously.

PTI lawmaker Dr Seema Zia moved a resolution saying from the floor of Sindh Assembly to the federal government for early implementation of reviewed ‘S-3’ project to treat residential sewage and industrial waste water. Untreated industrial waste water and residential sewage is flowing into the sea damaging the harbour and its species.

Thousands of city residents could not enjoy beach walks and picnic at the city coastline due to heavy sewage water and the irritating smell forcing them to leave. The sea sand color turned black due to heavy pollution and has become an environmental hazard that is spreading illness among people of the metropolis. About 450 million gallons of waste water is flowing into the sea daily. In 2007, there was a project called ‘S-3’ to treat waste water at a cost of Rs7.9 billion that would have stopped the pollution of sea, but the project has not been completed in time. Now, the project’s estimated cost has increased to Rs32 billion. The federal government should expedite the S-3 project approval as its file is lying at ECNEC. It was decided between the federal and provincial governments that a 50 percent cost will be borne by both the governments. Later, the house passed the resolution unanimously.