The MQM legislators on Friday protested against water shortage in Hyderabad but the treasury dismissed the main opposition's complaint during the Sindh Assembly sitting. The protesting MQM lawmakers also staged a walkout to press their demand and slammed the government for shortage of water in the city. However, Sindh Local Bodies Government Minister, Jam Khan Shoro rejected the opposition protest.
The house continued its business amid screeching protest by the MQM that forced the sitting adjournment till Monday morning. At a question and answer session, MQM's Dilawar Qureshi sought permission to speak on water crisis in Hyderabad but the Speaker urged him to hold on with his complaint till the assembly business was finished. After the session, the MQM members again stood up and asked for speaking on the issue, saying that the people in Hyderabad were unable to even do abolition since water was scarce for drinking. The Speaker again asked them to wait till the assembly agenda completion.
After being denied the opportunity to raise the issue, MQM's legislators moved to the Speaker's dais and shouted slogans that left the house chaotic and the inaudible. "Give us water," they shouted and left the house in protest but returned shortly.
Shoro said that the government would provide grant to the Lyari Development Authority (HDA) within 10 days but refused to pay salaries to employees appointed on a political basis. He said that the MQN wanted the government to pay salaries to the ghost employees. "Salary will be paid only to the Sindh government's employees," he asserted. He warned that the government would pay salaries to those who would work as per their duties hours and supply water to the citizens. "Never a political party's workers will be paid salaries," he said, alleging MQM of blocking water supplies to the areas mainly concentrated by PPP workers in the past.
He assured the house of resolving the water issue in Hyderabad. "Water distribution will be on an equal basis and indiscriminately now," he said. MQM's Syed Nadeem Razi said that Karachi Water and Sewerage Board had no infrastructure in 50 percent areas of the city. Sindh Environment and Coastal Development Minister, Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that academic activities had been restored in some 63 out of total 323 dysfunctional schools in Thatta district. He assured the house that the government was moving to make the rest working and hold academic sessions.
The Speaker told the house that the assembly secretariat had received resignations of the two former MQM lawmakers including Dr Sagheer Ahmed and Iftikhar Alam. After scrutiny, he said the resignations would be approved and would be sent to Election Commission of Pakistan afterwards.
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