Sindh Assembly on Friday paid rich tributes to the two-time former prime minister, late Benazir Bhutto, for her life-long political struggle and ultimate sacrifice for the cause of democracy and prosperity of the nation, amid lawmakers calling for exposing her assassins and taking them to the task.
Despite life threats, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan to serve her countrymen, the provincial lawmakers said during debate on a resolution to pay tribute to the assassinated PPP leader. The provincial legislature in its last session of the year paid tributes to Benazir Bhutto in connection with her fourth death anniversary. The session was presided over by Speaker Nisar Khohro. Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza said the late leader was a woman with 'unprecedented' characters.
"She fought against extremism in the country and did not care about her own children, as he called all the children of the country her children. Pakistan flag in Malakand was hoisted only because of her struggle and sacrifice," the lady lawmaker said. Another lady lawmaker of the ruling PPP, Humera Alwani, called Benazir Bhutto an "intelligent, wise and brave" woman, saying she fought for the just cause of democracy till her last breath.
A female legislator of PML-F, Nusrat Sehar Bano, called Benazir an "honour" of Pakistan. "Despite she was asked not to come back to Pakistan, she was committed to serve her nation without caring for her life," she said, observing that Benazir Bhutto had been under persistent life threats.
She demanded of the government to unveil the faces behind her killing. ANP's lawmaker and Sindh Labour Minister, Amir Nawab, extolled the slain leader for her life-long political ordeals and sacrifices. Recalling his first encounter in 1979-80 after her father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's hanging, he found her determined and unshaken.
Nuzhat Pathan, Shoib Bukhari, Anwar Khan Maher also praised Benazir Bhutto. The speaker however deferred for Monday, January 2, 2012, the debate on the resolution before adopting it.
The Sindh Senior Education Minister, Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq invited the attention of the house on an issue regarding the ghost teachers in colleges, saying there were about nine such educators working in a media organisation. He also pronounced their names with designation for contributing columns or performing other services to a renowned Sindhi media organisation, saying that these teachers were not serving at the government-run academic institutions but somewhere else.
He said earlier he had unearthed the ghost teachers of schools working in media, insurance and other private firms. He said children were being deprived of education as the teaching staff did not attend the academic sessions. He said as a minister he had issued show-cause notices to all such teachers except three, whom fate would be decided after examining their reports, which he was awaiting.
He informed the house that the government had decided to remove the ghost teaching staff, as a final list of such teachers would be finalised in a month period. When speaker asked whether a teacher could contribute in a newspaper with his columns, the senior minister said the issue was rather complicated to decide. He pointed out at a copy of civil servant rules, which he had in hands and said such additional jobs being a teacher should be allowed subject to official permission.