President of Pakistan Peoples Party, Sindh, and MPA from Khairpur, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, was on Monday unanimously elected leader of the house in a house, devoid of voice of dissent and charm of liveliness that opposition always brings to democratic institutions.
In a house of 168 members where seven seats are vacant for various reasons and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), along with Pakistan Muslim League (F), Muslim League (Q), and National Peoples Party, boycotted the assembly proceedings to protest against maltreatment of former Sindh chief minister Ghulam Rahim and misbehaviour with the MQM female MPAs by the PPP workers inside the assembly premises, Shah got 90 votes. These 90 votes included two votes of the Awami National Party and 88 of the PPP.
The MQM announced that its boycott of the proceedings of the Sindh Assembly was indefinite. Party chief Altaf Hussain will address a meeting of workers and there will be a joint decision of the workers and Rabita Committee about the future course of action.
Newly elected Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro was in the chair to supervise the ascertainment of the leader of the house. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan will administer the oath of the office of the Sindh chief minister to Shah at the Governor House on Tuesday at 11 am instead of at 5 pm as was scheduled earlier.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement will not attend the oath taking ceremony of the new chief minister. In his brief remarks after the ascertainment, the Sindh chief minister-designate vowed to work for nurturing the fledgling democracy introduced after many years of struggle.
He paid glowing tributes to Benazir Bhutto for her sacrifices for the democracy and rule of law in Pakistan. He reiterated his desire to take along all the political parties, represented in the Sindh Assembly, and to make the government answerable to the people of Sindh.
He said he did not believe in rural/urban divide and "in fact there is no such thing as rural Sindh and urban Sindh." More than 19 members had moved a motion under rule 130(2A) of the Constitution to express confidence of the members in Syed Qaim Ali Shah and proposed him to be elected as the leader of the house. The motion was put to vote. Since there was no vote against him, the Speaker declared him successful.
The session, which elected Shah as the leader of the house, was to begin at 5 pm It was delayed for about 60-minutes, as there was some hope of the MQM returning to the house. The PPP parliamentarians tried to contact MQM through Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan, but their efforts remained futile. The PPP later decided to go ahead with the order of the day set for the second session.
The second session began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quern, followed by a Vie of Hazart Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. During the rendition of Vie, members continued to weep for the departed soul of Benazir Bhutto.
Prayers for her were also offered. Along with this the members named many PPP workers, who had laid down their lives in the struggle for democracy, and requested for prayers. Joint prayers for Muslims and non-Muslim party workers were offered.
The election of the leader of the house was followed by facilitation to which Shah responded, and assured to work for the betterment of the province. Later, Speaker Khuhro adjourned the session to meet again at 5pm on Tuesday. Syed Qaim Ali Shah will take vote of confidence during the session.
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