KARACHI - Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani on Thursday postponed the provincial assembly session for today, following the tradition of postponement of the session in case of death of any sitting MPA.
The day was hyped due to the government’s resolution aimed at ratification of the powers given to the Rangers; however the entire agenda was carried forward for today due to death of PPP MPA Jamil Ahmed Bhurgari.
Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro put forward the motion in the house asking the speaker to adjourn the session due to the death of PPP MPA Jamil Ahmed Bhurgari. The resolution was immediately approved by the speaker. Earlier, the minister also put forward a resolution paying tribute to the slain PPP leader and PPPP president for his sacrifices for the party and democracy in the country.
The session that had to commence at 10:00 am was delayed and started at11:40 am, due to the meetings of parliamentary committees of the government and opposition in order to devise a strategy for the resolution pertaining to Rangers powers. The PPP meeting was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah while Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan and Shaheryar Khan Maher respectively chaired meetings of the MQM and other opposition groups separately. The MQM members attended their first session after their resignations from the assemblies and were welcomed by the speaker and applaud from the government benches.
The speaker also took oath from the new-elected MPAs including Jam Madad Ali and Noor Ahmed Bhurgari. The speaker announced the panel of chairman that included Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khursheed Junejo, Sardar Ahmed and Mehtab Akbar Rashdi. Talking to media outside the Sindh Assembly, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information, Maula Bakhsh Chandio said there was no dispute between Rangers and the provincial government, and the law enforcing authority was doing a good job for maintaining law and order in the city. “Karachi operation is against criminals and it was decided in the apex committee meeting. The terrorists are on the run but they will be chased in other parts of the province also,” he said.
“We will give good news over the extension in Rangers powers by Friday (today) morning,” he said adding that Rangers had a duty to take action against criminal elements while the provincial government had to look after other affairs. He said the provincial government was neither delaying in giving extension to the paramilitary force nor it wanted to do this.
“This is an issue of state and we applaud the efforts and sacrifices given by Rangers personnel in the line of duty,” he said.
He also criticised media persons for creating a hype of the issue and said those who had been criticising them for misuse of powers and financial irregularities were also involved in it during their tenure in PTV.
Chandio lambasted Ch Nisar Ali Khan and said that how the federal interior minister could talk about rules and regulations as he is not able to make the federal cabinet members follow rules and regulations.
“We follow the rules of our leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Qaim Ali Shah,” he said.
“The federal government is bent on selling out every institution of the country but the PPP leadership will resist it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the MQM submitted a resolution in the assembly for devolution of political, administrative and financial responsibilities to the elected members of local bodies.
It stated that, “Since the local government elections have been held on December 5, 2015 in the province; it is herby resolved that the government should devolve political, administrative and financial responsibilities and authority to the elected representatives of the local government under Article 140 A of the constitution in letter and spirit without any delay.”
The PML-F and PML-N law makers also submitted a resolution demanding immediate extension in Rangers powers.
It stated, “It is due to the efforts of Sindh Rangers that the people of the province particularly the citizen of Karachi have taken a sigh of relief. We strongly feel that the operation against the criminals and corruption should continue as it is the continuity of the process that has broken and shattered the criminal networks.
The success of this operation relies on its continuity. Curtailing the powers of Rangers at this stage will completely sabotage the implementation of peace in the province. It is in the best interest of the people of Sindh that the Sindh Rangers continue this operation with full powers.”
Talking to media, Liaquat Jatoi said the provincial government should not delay in giving special powers to Rangers as the paramilitary force is playing an important role in the stability of the country.
“Instead of supporting this cause, the provincial government is creating hurdles in this connection,” he said adding that the Sindh government had done massive rigging in polls across the province.