Resolution passed to rename Zia-ul-Haq Colony

KARACHI - Sindh Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution renaming Zia ul Haq Colony (katchi abadi) as Munawwar Suharwardi, a staunch PPP worker who was killed by unidentified persons about three years back. Sindh Minister for Katchi abadis Rafique Engineer moved an out of turn resolution which read," this assembly resolves and recommended to the Sindh government to rename Zia ul Haq Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, katchi abadi as Munawwar Suharwardi Colony" and the resolution carried unanimously. Though the minister wanted to offer arguments in favour of his resolution but no one raised any objections and even the law minister did not utter a single word and the resolution was unanimously carried with out any debate or discussion when the chair put it in the house. However, when opposition NPP member Masroor Jatoi said that it would be better if the copies of the resolution were distributed among the members, Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said that previous government had introduced and adopted such bills for which the people of Sindh would not tolerate the previous regime. In the meantime, MQM legislator of the area said that though he has no objection over the renaming of said colony but it would be better if the elected representative of the area was taken into confidence. He informed the house that the colony had been leased out in 1988 but now rumours were rife that colony will be leased out again. Upon which, Rafique Engineer said that invitations had been extended to all concerned people and added that lease was not granted to all residents. MQM member said that minister should check that whether the invitations were sent properly.   Opposition NPP lawmaker Arif Mustafa Jatoi moved an adjournment motion which was listed on the agenda. The motion states," this assembly demands that the Sindh government make urgent and sufficient arrangements to provide DAP, Urea and other fertilizers to the farmers of Sindh in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices, as there is currently both a critical shortage and huge price inflation which is threatening the entire agricultural economy of Sindh and therefore the food security of the country." Sindh Minister for Agriculture Syed Ali Nawaz Shah objected the motion and said that he had clarified the situation in the house on August 22 that there was no shortage of urea in the province. He, however, admitted that some unscrupulous persons were selling urea in black market by creating artificial shortage. He said that the government was going to convene meetings of DCO, DPO, EDO (agriculture) of the concerned districts and factory officers to review the availability of urea. Arif Jatoi said that since it was the government stance but situation was just opposite. "When Punjab is facing shortage of six lac tons of urea then how one can believe that there is no shortage of urea in Sindh", he observed. He further said that as it was a matter of public importance and that if government has any objection on the language of his motion so he was ready to change the wordings of the motion. PPP member Haji Munawwar Ali Abbasi has earlier complained about shortage of urea in Larkana district. Sindh Minister for Revenue Murad Ali Shah said that it was a substantive motion and the member should move it on private members day.   Defending his younger brother, Masroor Jatoi, another opposition NPP member said that fertilizer was an important matter as agriculture was backbone of our economy so debate should be held in the house and government should frame clear policy. Sindh Minister for Information Ms. Shazia Marri said that it was a substantive motion and some correction needed in its language. After hearing arguments and counter arguments, Deputy Speaker Ms. Shehla Raza ruled that the resolution was out of order. When the chair took up the election of the standing committee and other committees as laid down in the rules, Sindh Minister Shoaib Bukhari said that the item may be deferred till next session if law minister agreed because the MQM parliamentary leader Sardar Ahmed was out of country and Senior Minister Pir Mazhar ul Haq was busy in official engagements.    After that Law Minister Ayaz Soomro moved a motion requesting the chair that election of standing committees may be deferred till next session. When the order of the day was completed, deputy speaker Shehla Raza adjourned the house till August 27 (Wednesday) morning. Earlier, when house set in motion with Deputy Speaker Ms. Shehla Raza in the chair at with delay of one hundred minutes about 11-20 A.M took up question hour.

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