Sindh Assembly was dismayed over absence of many provincial ministers due to which eight call-attention notices got no answer and disposed-off within 10 minutes during Monday session. As many as eight call-attention notices were tabled to seek answers from the Ministers of Health, Local Government, Women Development, Excise and Taxation and Livestock departments.
"If ministers cannot attend the session then the house should be prorogued," dejected PML-F's lady lawmaker, Mehtab Akbar Rashidi protested, lamenting that the Sindh Government's ministers take the legislature for granted and regularly remain absent from proceedings. Sindh Assembly's speaker Aga Siraj Khan Durrani also regretted over the ministers' absence.
"Despite repeated warning, ministers do not attend the Assembly session," he said. Meanwhile, PTI's Khurrum Sher Zaman Khan, sought answers on the alleged Rs 1.6 billion corruption in procurement of medicines. He also cited the Auditor General of Pakistan's report in support of his adjournment motion and said the expired medicines were purchased for the government-run hospitals. Khurram requested the house to support his adjournment motion because it is an important public issue.
However, Speaker taunted him, saying he had spent five years in the house but learnt nothing. Durrani asked Sindh Senior Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro to oppose the move who obeyed his directive. He said it is not a good precedent to place an allegation. He accused Khurram Sher Zaman of insulting the house by tabling such a motion. In the meantime, Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza replaced Durrani as chair and ruled the motion as out of order.
MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed on a call-attention notice asked the PPP government to pay the increased amount of salaries with arrears to the lawmakers as per relevant law. At least the legislators should be paid the scaled-up salaries from May 2017, he requested, suggesting if the government is not interested in paying them then it should repeal the law.
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