Karachi - Sindh Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution, censuring Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Jawed Ali Shah for terming those against Kalabagh Dam as Indian agents and demanded an unconditional apology for injuring the sentiments of people of Sindh and other provinces.
The resolution was tabled by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and was supported by all other parliamentary groups of the Assembly.
“I state that this assembly strongly reiterates its principled stand time and again, totally rejecting the construction of Kalabagh Dam. This mischievous move in Senate by Jawed Shah to whip the dead horse to life is highly condemnable.
His remarks calling opponents of Kalabagh Dam as Indian agents exposes the ailing mentality of the federal minister and this assembly censures the highly objectionable attitude of Jawed Shah and demands unconditional apology for injuring the sentiments of people of Sindh and other provinces who have already passed unanimous resolutions against construction of Kalabagh Dam many a times.”
Speaking on the resolution, Khuhro said that this House had rejected the Kalabagh Dam several times through its resolutions. “Those who call opponents of the dam traitors, why do not they call Nawaz Sharif a traitor and an Indian agent?” he queried. “Their leader Nawaz Sharif had invited Indian Prime Minister Modi for a personal gathering at his residence in Raiwand,” he recalled.
He said that it was not the Sindh Assembly alone, but Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies had also passed resolutions against the dam. “We condemn those who brand three provinces as Indian agents and will not allow Kalabagh Dam to be built at any cost,” he resolved.
Moreover, the Sindh Assembly also passed a resolution on the birthday of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and paid rich tributes to his services for the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent.
The resolution stated that the assembly pays rich tributes to Poet of the East, who was also a philosopher and visionary political leader, and who gave the concept of independent Muslim homeland in Indian sub-continent, resulting in creation of Pakistan.
The House also passed a resolution, paying tributes to Ibrahim Joyo, a renowned writer, for his services for Sindhi literature.
The resolution stated that this assembly expresses deep sense of grief over the sad demise of Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo, son of the soil who spent his whole life contributing to the fields of language, culture, philosophy, and traditions of peace and tranquillity in soil of Sindh.
The House pays rich tributes to his services and extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
Speaking on it, MQM lawmaker Syed Waqar Shah said that he was a mentor of his father and the writer’s views were vital for the growth of the province and the country as a whole. “We feel sorry over the demise of a person who had such a great personality,” he said. Dewan Chand Chawla said that he served the province for 100 years and was a great academic from Sindh Madresatul Islam. “His writings range from literary notes for children to historical events with Sindh province as the central idea of each story,” he said.
PML-F lawmaker Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said that it was a matter of great satisfaction for her that the resolution for Ibrahim Joyo, a legendry writer, was taken up in the House as earlier members of the assembly would remain busy in discussing the agendas concerning their parties or personal interests.
The House also took up five call attention notices and a quarterly report on income and expenditure of the Sindh government from May to April 2017 was also laid for debate in the House. Later, the House was adjourned till Friday.