Sindh Assembly approves commissionerate system among severe uproar of MQM

The Sindh Assembly has passed a bill for the resumption of the commissionerate system in the province amid stern protest of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) her eon Wednesday.

The assembly approved four bills including Land Revenue Amendment Bill 2011, Police Act 1861, Local Government Ordinance 1979 and Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Amendment Bill.

Provincial Minister of Law Ayaz Soomro tabled four legislation bills amid uproar and angry shouts by MQM members but treasury members welcomed the bills by thumping their desks.

Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza chaired the unusual session of the assembly as in three years it was first time that the assembly witnessed severe protest by the opposition party MQM.

The acting speaker said as the resignations of MQM members are not yet accepted by the Sindh government, therefore, oppositions seats cannot be allotted to the MQM members

During the session the MQM members chanted different slogans against the government and demanded of the speaker to allot opposition seats in the assembly; meanwhile in her ruling Acting Speaker Shehla Raza asked the MQM members to sit on the left side the sitting arrangement of the assembly.

During the meeting the MQM members after tearing into pieces the copies of the agenda hurled towards the speaker and chanted slogans of shame, shame.

Faisal Sabzwari asked the speaker to allot opposition seats so that they could take part in the proceedings of the assembly session.

After approval of three bills and boycott of the MQM members, Sindh Assembly’s session was adjourned till July 22.

After boycotting the proceedings of the session addressing the press conference Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Faisal Sabazwari along with the other party MPAs lashed out at the passage of the three bills. He said PPP government should accept the resignations of MQM ministers. He said there should have been debate on the bills but they were bulldozed.

He further said the future of the province has been jeopardized by passing these laws in the assembly, adding that the government trying to divide the Sindh province, which would not be allowed.

He said that those who talk of democracy are trying to bring back a system of ruling in Sindh which was introduced by military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq.

He said that the MQM’s concerns were not taken into consideration and these ordinances will divide the people of Karachi and Hyderabad.

He further said that “fake cases” were lodged against MQM members, and that the PP was trying to victimise its workers.

He said that the workers of the MQM were killed in the broad day light, adding that over 100 persons were killed in the four days and government showed its severe negligence on the matters, adding that it was the responsibility of the government to provide security to masses.

Faisal Sabzwari said that if rangers had not taken the action the episode of 14 December 1986 could have been repeated when more than 600 people were killed in Qasba Colony during few hours.

He said that the PPP has revived the draconian law of Ziaul Haq, adding that the PPP should go on the grave of the late Benazir Bhutto at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh and ask her weather this system is acceptable for her or the system for which she struggled.

He said that MQM would not allow running the government affairs through a single dictator in form of commissioner, adding that the suppressing tactics should not be used against the MQM.

He said that the time of bullet and baton has been past and if anyone wants to repeat that he could fulfill hi desire, adding that the rulers should read the righting on the wall should not dare to take any step against the masses of the province.

He termed the 13th July as black day in the history of the province, adding that his party has not disappointed the masses on the black day.

He said that the MQM is the second biggest party of the province and third party of the country, adding that they are not being consulted for the enforcement of the commissioenrate system in the province, which would not be allowed.

Meanwhile talking to media persons after the session Provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Enam Memon congratulated the people of the province and political parties over the restoration of the commissioenrate system in the province, adding that PPP has fulfilled its promise by restoring the system.

He termed the 13th July as the historic day in the province of Sindh, adding that PPP is following the reconciliation policy of the President Asif Ali Zardari and would not victimize any one politically.

He said that doors of the government are open for all the parties, adding that the JI, Sunni Tehreel, PML-Q, PML-F and Urdu speaking community is in favor of restoring the commissionerate system.

He said that the people living in Sindh are belonging to various communities but all they are only Sindhis, adding that PPP even could not think about the division of the province.

He said that with the restoration of commissionerate system the people of the province would find justice, adding that our friends have not learnt any lesion from the past.

He said that a mind set is trying to create fuss on the name of commissionerate system in the province.

Meanwhile a petition challenging the restoration of the commissionerate system in Sindh was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The petition, filed by Maulvi Iqbal Hyder, requested the apex court to suspend the enforcement of the commissioner system in the province immediately.

The petitioner contended that the acting governor could not enact these ordinances and pleaded for suspension of these laws.
The petitioner made the federation, provincial goernemnt, chief secretary Sindh and secretary local government in the case. SANA