Sindh Assembly on Wednesday passed a pro-democracy resolution unanimously, which was tabled by a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) lawmakers to support the present democratic set-up in the country. Emulating the National Assembly, the Sindh Assembly also put its weight behind democracy and democratic institutions of country by passing unanimously a resolution moved by Ghulam Mujadid Isran of PPP.
Speaking about the resolution on the flood of the house, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah said, "We are for the supremacy of the constitution and continuation of democracy in the country." He recalled the sacrifices rendered by PPP leaders and workers for democracy.
Shah said that the unanimous approval of the resolution by the house was a demonstration of unity amongst political parties to respect the public opinion. He said the present democratic government was voted to power by the people. "After Benazir Bhutto, it is the first democratic government and we [the ruling coalition] are delivering services to public according to her vision," he added.
Enumerating the achievements of his party's government, he said it had restored the country's unanimous Constitution of 1973 in its original shape. He lauded President Asif Ali Zardari for devolving powers to the provinces and the parliament through 18th Constitutional Amendment.
"No dictators quit powers willingly, even General Yahya Khan was not willing to transfer the power to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto after the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971," he said. He said the present democratic government convinced provinces to agree on a consensus NFC award.
"After the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment, Sindh received Rs 12 billion in current financial year under the head of tax on services, which was being collected by the federal government in the past and disburse to the province only Rs 4 billion out of the total collections," Qaim Ali Shah said.
CM Sindh also extolled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari for their support to the provinces by increasing their share in resources of divisible pool to 56 percent from 45 percent. He said before the present political government, the total budget outlay of the province was not more than Rs 60 billion but the PPP-led government had increased it to Rs 121 billion. He said that the Sindh government had undertaken 41 projects to construct hospitals, out of them four were mega projects.
CM Sindh said the Punjab government was under Rs 44 billion overdraft burden, but the Sindh government had passed a surplus fiscal budget, showing the difference of fiscal management between both the federating units. Mujadid Isran while tabling the pro-democracy resolution in the house said that country could had not a unanimous Constitution, if there had not been an elected government of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
He said the ruling PPP had rendered great sacrifices for the cause of democracy in the country. He underlined the importance of continuation of democracy in the country for upholding the Constitution and constitutionalism. Later, Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khohro put the resolution before the house, which received a unanimous vote. The house also unanimously passed a bill, 'Sindh Services Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2011' into law to make suitable amendments to the Sindh Services Tribunals Act, 1973.
The Sindh Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ayaz Soomro Ayaz said, "the National Judicial Policy Making Committee headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan had recommended that in the interest of justice, it is necessary to empower the Services Tribunals in the country to execute their decisions. Therefore, it is expedient to make suitable amendments to the Sindh Services Tribunals Act, 1973". On the request of Soomro, the house passed a motion to deferred consideration of the Indus University Bill, 2011 till Friday. Latter, the Speaker adjourned the session till Friday morning.