KARACHI - The Sindh Assembly Monday passed a censure motion against Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) lawmaker Nusrat Sehar Abbasi for using unparliamentary and objectionable remarks towards the provincial assembly member.
The motion was passed after the GDA lawmaker exchanged heated argument with Minister for Information and Technology Taimur Talpur during the question and answer session and also tried to approach him.
The provincial assembly session on Monday began an hour late from scheduled timing of 2pm with Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the chair. The house prayed for former sports minister Muhammad Ali Shah and human rights activist Asma Jahangir.
The PML-F lawmaker while asking a question during question and answer session said that the minister Imtiaz Shaikh was not giving satisfactory responses of the queries and also blamed the deputy speaker Rehana Leghari who was chairing the sitting at that time for being biased towards the opposition.
Soon after these remarks, the IT Minister Taimur Talpur took part in the debate and said that even the GDA lawmaker’s husband was appointed on government employment during PPP tenure.
This infuriated the women lawmaker who asked the minister to shut up and also approached towards him, however, she was stopped by opposition lawmakers.
“My husband was appointed on merit,” chanted the PML-F lawmaker who was also supported by the opposition lawmakers when they rose from their seats soon after this debate and later gathered in front of the dice of the speaker in support of Nusrat Sehar Bano and lodged their protest over remarks from the minister. Later the opposition parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), GDA AND Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) staged walk out from the assembly proceedings over minister’s remarks.
Talking to media outside the assembly, GDA Parliamentary Leader Hasnain Mirza said that the attitude from the minister was derogatory towards the lawmaker. “Is this the teaching of Benazir Bhutto to treat women like this,” he said and asked the PPPP leadership to take notice of such behavior as it is against the party line.
Nusrat Sehar Abbasi said that she wanted to bring a resolution over killing of Rimsha Wasan and Irshad Ranjhani but the minister hurled allegations against her husband to divert the issues.
Minister for Local Bodies Saeed Ghani said that the opposition lawmaker used foul language in the assembly and even cursed the members.
“Every time they initiate tirade against the treasury and when gets a response then protest over it,” he said. “Even I offered the GDA lawmaker to sit down so that we could resolve issue from both sides but she used un parliamentary words,” he said and blamed that all such acts were carried out in the house to disrupt legislation process in which the province has a lead over other assemblies.
He also lamented the PTI MNA Alamgir Khan for throwing sewage water at the chief minister house gate and said that all such sites like PM house, chief minister house and governor house were equally respectful and be respected.
“If this continues then the PPPP members could also repeat the same at Bani Gala,” he warned.
Moreover, the house while skipping first five call attention motions due to absence of lawmakers took a motion from MMA lawmaker Syed Abdul Rasheed regarding poor condition of emergency ward in Lyari General Hospital and shortage of paramedical staff, medicines and medical equipments.
Responding to it, the Minister for Health Azra Fazl Pechuhu admitted that various hospitals of the province are facing shortages and lower than expected performances but said that the provincial is not negligent towards it and is providing funds for bringing improvement.
She said that in order to lessen patients over flow in Civil Hospital, they are bringing improvements in neighbourhood hospitals and will not only improve facilities but would also hire people.
