Time breaks and walkouts prevailed in the City Council meeting on Wednesday as the house and convenor could not bridge the gaps in their respective agendas, with the former demanding debate on the May 12 events, while the latter stressed need to follow the agenda.
The meeting, with Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil in the chair, however, passed an opposition-backed resolution, which called for some changes in the West Pakistan Family Laws Ordinance, 1961.
With opposition members being absent after a noisy walkout, the meeting unanimously voted for fixing registration fee of Nikah (a documentary proof of marriage) at Rs 500, and linking it to the amount of dowry with Rs 10 per thousand charge if the dowry exceeded a Rs 10,000 figure.
Soon after the session started, Masood Mehmood of Haq Parast panel, with an indirect reference to the opposition benches, demanded of the convenor to allow debate on the May 12 issue in the wake of a news report, which identified some of the culprits.
On this, the opposition members condemned Masood's remarks and shouted slogans. Leader of opposition Saeed Ghani also sought permission for a debate on the issue but the convenor rejected the request and ordered the house to follow the agenda.
Amid shouts of opposition members who demanded that Masood should take back his remarks, the convenor announced a five-minute break. Ghani demanded of the city nazim to bring details of all completed and under-completion projects before the Council and expressed concern that treasury members were planning to repeat the April 26 event.
This gave way to another pandemonium, and the convenor announced a 30-minute break. The opposition walked out and chanted slogans as the convenor denied Ghani permission to speak further.
According to the resolution, a Nikah Registrar would have to pay Rs 5000 for getting registered with Union Council, and to pay Rs 2000 for annual renewal. According to the resolution, under Article 2 (B) of the Muslim Family Laws UC nazims would also act as chairman of Arbitration Council with the authority to nominate Nikah Registrar in his respective area under Article 5 (2).
An amendment in the resolution, proposed by leader of the house Asif Siddiqui, asked the provincial government to ensure that National Identity Card numbers are written in every Nikah forms. The resolution was tabled by Syed Waqar Hussain Shah of Haq Parast panel: The convenor adjourned the session till September 6, 2007.
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