Daily Times

The Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) on Friday urged the National Assembly speaker to dissolve all the standing committees of the National Assembly as the committees are not being allowed to meet.

The PPP MNAs Nawab Yousuf Talpur and Rafiq Ahmed Jamali while showing deep concern over not allowing sessions of Standing Committee (SC) of National Assembly on Water Resources and all other SCs said that the SCs work as eyes and ears of the Parliament and when these SCs are not allowed to meet then the speaker of the National Assembly should dissolve all the SCs.

Addressing a press conference at the Bilawal House Media cell here in Karachi, Nawab Yousuf Talpur said that he had as NA SC on water resources Chairman summoned SC on Water Resources meetings three times to discuss about release of water into Pakistani rivers by India without prior information and over water distribution disputes between Punjab and Sindh but the meetings of the committee were not allowed. Speaker NA was duly approached on that situation but to no avail.

The functioning of the NA might be impeded if the working of the SCs is restricted, he said, adding that Sindh is suffering most with regard to its quota from water resources and the federal minister for water resources Faisal Vawda has recently admitted that the province is suffering a lot.

He said that the situation has reached a dreadful level as the IRSA member from Sindh is also not allowed to speak during meetings of the IRSA and IRSA member from Sindh, Mazhar Ali Shah was not allowed to speak during the meeting of the IRSA and he was subjected to abusive remarks, instead. The PPP lawmaker said that if speaking on the floor of the house would not be allowed then there would be left no other way out except to reach the masses. The prevailing worst internal and external situation in the country is preventing the party to take the issues to the masses through intense agitation. PPP MNA and Gorakh Hills Development Authority Chairman Rafiq Ahmed Jamali said that the federal government has not yet initiated any step towards functionalizing the tourism at the Gorakh Hills. So far, only Sindh Government has extended financial support to the Authority.

He said that the Gorakh Hills route is a complex zigzag one, which needs immediate funds for making the route as developed and smooth but lack of interest from the federal government has slowed down the pace of progress and development of the Gorakh Hills Tourism site.