960410

Amendment in SLGO '79

Sindh PA defers

decision for 3 days

NAYYAR ZUBERI

KARACHI: Nabil Ahmed Gabol, Deputy Speaker, Sindh Assembly, on Wednesday deferred the consideration of reports of the Standing Committees on the bills seeking amendments in the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 1979 (SLGO) and establishment of a board for supply of water in Karachi Division, after a consensus between the opposition and treasury benches.

Earlier, the MQM opposition MPAs ended their year-long boycott of Sindh Assembly on a temporary basis to take part in the discussion on Sindh Local Government Ordinance Amendment Bill 1996.

As soon as the question hour was over, and motions regarding privileges and adjournments were disposed of, opposition member Kazi Khalid Ali pointed out that, after the receipt of the Standing Committee report, the House should be given at least three days time to study it. He quoted relevant rules in this regard.

Gabol said that, giving his ruling on the subject two days ago, Speaker Ghous Bux Mehar had referred the issue to the concerned Standing Committees for submission of report on Wednesday.

Dr. Farooq Sattar, Leader of the Opposition in the House, criticised the government and frequent use of Rule 85 and registered resentment over the way the Opposition was prevented from discharging its lawful and moral responsibilities.

He said that the haste, with which the government wanted to pass the two bills, showed the malafides and bad intentions of the government. He said that the attitude of the government betrayed that they wanted to pass the bill by hook or crook. He said, under the rules, after the presentation of Standing Committee report, the bill should be taken up after three days and asked the treasury benches not to take any action which may degrade the parliamentary values.

Pir Mazharul Haq, Law Minister, welcomed the return of the Opposition to the House on public pressure. He said that the Opposition had at least come to the House for the purpose for which they had been returned by their electorate.

On this occasion, Opposition's Kazi Khalid burst out that the voice of 2.20 crore Mohajirs could not be suppressed.

Kazi Khalid, speaking at the top of his voice, said that the "worst dictatorship" was being attempted to be enforced upon the people of Karachi by way of passing the 'SLGO' bill.

Rana Safdar Ali of MQM said that it was not true they had come to the House on public pressure.

He said everybody knew what treatment was meted out to MQM members who had been kept in jails. He demanded that all jailed MPAs be brought to the House to attend the session.

Later, the Deputy Speaker asked the Chairman of the Standing Committee to present the report in the House. After the presentation of the report, he adjourned the House to meet again at 4 p.m. to allow members to go through the report.

At the second sitting, the atmosphere in the House was quite changed and opposition and the treasury benchers were cooperative with each other.

Later, the Deputy Speaker allowed three days for the study of the Standing Committee's report.

MQM sources said that the decision to end the boycott of the Assembly session was taken at a special meeting of MQM leaders in view of the very serious nature of the two bills moved by the ruling party, which might be extremely dangerous for the city.

The Opposition members entered the House with Dr. Farooq Sattar leading them, followed by Shoaib Bokhari, Qazi Khalid Ali, Mohammad Salahuddin, Rana Safdar Ali and Mrs Feroza Begum. Mumtaz Bhutto, leader of the Sindh National Front, also came to the House for the first time during the current session.