KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) on Friday during the Sindh Assembly session demanded that the sitting assembly members should elect the country’s new president, saying that no excuse can postpone the election.
Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the GDA legislator, on a call attention notice sought the presidential election before the assembly ends its tenure on Aug 14, 2023.
He said that President Arif Alvi is completing his term on Sep 9, 2023, whereas the existing assembly will stand dissolve nearly a month earlier. He said that the present lawmakers cannot be deprived of voting to choose a new president of the country.
Arif cited Article 41 (3) of the Constitution, which requires the assembly members to vote for the president’s office. He said that the presidential election has to be held between July 8 and August 8, 2023.
No excuse can hold back the presidential election, he said and told the house that he has already wrote to the Speaker and soon will write to the Election Commission in this regard. Within 30 to 60 days, he said the election is a “must”.
The Constitution cannot be violated repeatedly for Islamabad, he said, adding: “we are democracy loving people; if we break the Constitution then who will protect it”.
Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla replied that the PPP is prepared for the presidential election since it is unfazed from any electoral contest. However, he advised to the GDA legislator to seek the election at a right platform.
Nand Kumar Goklani of the GDA during a call attention notice raised the issue of “growing” abduction cases in Sindh and demanded for an army operation to stem the disorder. He warned that the law and order is worsening fast
Police even cannot protect its SHO then how one can expect it to safeguard the public, he said and slammed that there seems to be a ‘bandit rule’ in Sindh and not the PPP. “Bandits kidnap people like sheep and goats,” he said.
He asked the government that how many people are still held hostage by the bandits in Sindh. Mukesh responded that three abducted people of the minority community have returned to their homes in a week, besides a police SHO.
“The PPP is taking care more of the minority community than anyone else. I am also from the minority community,” he told the house.
MQM’s Mangla Sharma asked about the procedures for people to apply for the government jobs. She also questioned the reasons that why the IBA Sukkur holds tests of aspiring candidates for the government jobs. Mukesh answered that the court orders have designated the IBA Sukkur for such tests because of its credibility.
The Sindh cabinet has also approved the IBA for jobs examinations, he told the assembly. MQM’s Waseemuddin Qureshi raised the issue of water shortage in localities like New Karachi and North Karachi. Despite several promises by the government, water problems still exist.
Saleem Baloch, Parliamentary Secretary for the Local Government, relied that the water crisis will continue to haunt the city unless the proposed K-IV project is competed.
TLP’s Mufti Qasim Fakhri voiced concerns over the K-Electric failure to provide uninterrupted electricity to its consumers. He said that power cuts in his constituency, Baldia Town, spans for 16 hours a day and feared that the renewal of the K-Electric license will be injustice to the people of Karachi. Sindh Energy Minister, Imtiaz Shaikh replied that his government has no role in load shedding. He said that the license of the K-Electric is expiring in 2023. He assured that his government will support to any company intending its takeover. Power and gas sectors are the federal subjects, he said.
The house adopted “The Sindh Habitual Offenders Monitoring Bill, 2022,” and” The Sindh Explosive Bill, 2019”. The house will now meet on Monday morning.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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