KARACHI  - The Sindh Assembly on Monday witnessed rumpus as lawmakers of the PPP and the MQM traded barbs with chanting of slogans against each other which led adjourning of the House’s proceedings twice in a day.
The session, which commenced at 3:00pm with Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the chair, offered prayers for the victims and took up the question-hour pertaining to the food department.
The MQM lawmakers created the first rumpus during the question-hour session, alleging that food minister used non-parliamentary words against their woman MPA Sumita Afzal.
Later, when the agenda of attention notices was in process, the House again witnessed uproar and trading of allegations by the MQM lawmakers and Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, who was chairing the proceedings.
MQM’s MPA Dewan Chand Chawla, who was elected on reserved seats for religious minorities, delivered a lengthy speech over his call attention notice regarding kidnapping cases of minority communities which are on the rise in Sindh.
He became emotional in his speech, saying the religious minorities especially the Hindus of the province are not safe as their kidnappings for ransom are rising but no efforts have been made to recover them.
He mentioned about half dozen names of Hindu girls, who according to him, kidnapped only to change their religion forcibly with a clear message for the religious minorities to leave the province.
The Chair repeatedly instructed the mover to shorten his speech and not become emotional. Someone moved a glass of water in front of him, which irked the MQM lawmakers and they protested over her remarks.
The Deputy Speaker repeatedly instructing the protesting members to resume their seas but they didn’t pay attention towards the ruling of the chair and continued their protest.
The Chair adjourned the proceedings of the house for 10 minutes amid slogans of MQM lawmakers. In absence of the chair, the protesting MPAs continued chanting the slogans.
Later, Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani came to resume the proceedings. He was welcomed by the MQM lawmakers by thumping of desks.
In the meantime, Provincial Minister for Katchi Abadies Javed Nagori proceeded to the dice of the Chair. Pointing fingers to the MQM lawmakers, he said, “We are not afraid of your threats and will not tolerate your ‘Gunda Gardi’, who was stopped by Information Minister Sharjeel Memon.
The MQM lawmakers also echoed with ‘Go Go’ slogans for the minister while the PPP lawmakers responded in same tone.
After protest and uproar, the chair calmed the two sides and took up the remaining business including deferring the privilege motion of MQM’s MPAs against a police officer till Tuesday (today).
In the meantime, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza came in the House, who received rousing welcome with the thumping of desks by the ruling PPP lawmakers.
After witnessing the protest and rumpus on different occasions, the House also introduced the Sindh Environmental Protection Bill 2014. The bill aims at providing protection, conservation, rehabilitation and improvement of the environment in the province.
Later, the House adopted a report of special committee on the privilege motion of PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman against the municipal commissioner and other officers of the KMC.
Earlier, Sheharyar Khan Mahar of the PML-F from opposition benches drew the attention of the House regarding excessive employment in the local government department. He unveiled that a huge number of 400 employees were recruited in his constituency TMA Lakhi Ghulam Shah of Shikarpur by the last PPP government. There are 16 computer operators and 25 junior clerics inducted on less than dozen vacancies.
Replying to the issue, Sharjeel Memon admitted excessive employees recruited during his party’s last government. He added the bureaucracy inducted the employees by issuing fake offer orders on even more than the available vacancies. He cited that a total of 12,500 excessive and fake employees presently are working in the Local Government Department.
He said the government had decided to look into the available vacant posts and will ask the excessive employees to appear in the interview for the jobs.
In the meantime, the House witnessed the allegations between the women MPAs of MQM and PPP, which forced the Chair to adjourn the proceedings till Tuesday (today).