Sindh Assembly passes 2 govt bills, adopts resolution

KARACHI: The Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Thursday passed two government bills and an out-of-turn resolution on the increase in fares of Hajj pilgrimage, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet.

The Assembly met for three hours. The sitting started at 1500 hours against the scheduled time of 1400 hours. The Speaker presided over the sitting for an hour and 49 minutes while the Deputy Speaker chaired the rest of the sitting. The Leader of the House did not attend the sitting. The Leader of the Opposition remained present for an hour and 11 minutes.

Fifty-three lawmakers (32%) were present at the outset and 59 (35%) at the adjournment of the sitting. The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, TLP, MQMP and MMAP attended the sitting.

Six among nine minority lawmakers attended the proceedings.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs introduced the Sindh Prisons and Correctional Facilities Bill, 2019, which was sent to the Select Committee by the House.

Moved by the Minister for Local Government, the House passed the Sindh Local Government (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019. The bill was considered soon after its introduction without being referred to the committee. According to Rule 100(3) of the Sindh Rules of Procedure, at least three clear days shall intervene between the issue of copies of the bill to members and the motion for consideration of the bill.

The House considered the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019 as reported by the Select Committee and later passed it.

Jointly moved by the lawmakers belonging to PPPP and TLP, the House adopted a supplementary resolution urging the federal government to take back the increase in Hajj fares. Eleven lawmakers debated on the resolution for 32 minutes.

The Minister for Transport and Transit responded to four starred questions. The lawmakers asked 19 supplementary questions as well.

The Ministers for Local Government, Public Health Engineering, Health, Finance and Narcotics Control responded to five Call Attention Notices (CANs) related to the non-functioning of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants at Sikandarabad, KPT Ground, Keamari, Baba Island and Muhammadi Colony, unavailability of medical facilities at Gambat Hospital and Gambat Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (GIMHS), hiring of a retired FBR employee in Sindh Revenue Board, shortage of clean drinking water in PS-115 and rising menace of drugs in Karachi.

A PPPP lawmaker withdrew his Adjournment Motion (AM) on the overbilling by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) in Mirpurkhas on the assurance of the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs that the issue would be resolved. Discussion on an AM regarding the anti-encroachment operation in Karachi was deferred.

A lawmaker spoke on a Point of Order for two minutes. The House was adjourned to meet again on February 8, 2019 (Friday) at 1500 hours.