KARACHI: Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday voiced against kidnapping and illegal parking lots and asked the government about its efforts amid heat wave conditions, during the Sindh Assembly session.

In a first call attention notice, Nand Kumar Goklani, of the GDA asked the government whether who is behind the kidnapping of people in Sindh.

"How many peoples are kidnapped in Sindh and who is involved in their kidnapping," he said and voiced concerns over a "daily" kidnapping of people. "It seems as if there is a bandit's rule in Sindh," he said.

He told the house that about 40 people are still kidnapped in the province, saying that the people are scared to move out of their homes.

Imtiaz Shaikh, Sindh Energy Minister replied that the government is making its efforts to stem crimes. A wave of crimes starts off and immediately surrounds everyone, he said.

He informed the legislature that a clampdown in his native locality is under way to tame the outlaws, saying that law and order has improved over the past two months.

In Karachi, he said, 29 have been freed out of 32 abducted people. Out of 116 abductees, 99 have returned to their homes all over the province. "Operation continues," he said.

Syed Abdul Rasheed of the MMA raised the issue of illegal parking lots in Karachi, asking the government who authorizes the unlawful lifting of motorbikes.

He pointed out that the city's different areas are occupied with illegal parking lots, which are being run on contract.

He said that the traffic police is taking bribes and extortion from the poor citizens for releasing their cars and bikes after being taken away from areas like Civil Hospital, Saddar, MA Jinnah Road parts of the city.

Showing concerns, he said that it looks like the city is being run on contract. Private car parking sites have outgrown across the metropolis.

"The personnel of traffic section are collecting extortion openly," the lawmakers said and questioned the government's efforts in this regard.

In response, Imtiaz responded that the traffic police charge only those violating the law with a fine of Rs200 on a motorcycle and Rs400 a car. He assured the house that his government will also bring the issue in DIG Traffic's notice.

Rana Ansar, Parliamentary leader of the MQM showed worries over the rising risk of heat stroke with scaling up of hot weather intensity in Karachi.

She clamoured over deforestation in the city, saying that there is not a single move of the government to plant treats sensing the rising mercury levels. "People are being affected," she said.

She asked the Sindh Environment Minister to spell out the government's measures in this regard. Sindh Climate Change Minister, Muhammad Ismail Rahoo said that efforts are under way to cope with varying weather.

He said that the government has already issued an alert about low rainfall this year, which may develop a drought like conditions. "We have been affected by the changing climate for quite a while," he told the assembly.

He said that the government's ambulance service is coping with the heat wave like conditions with a plan to place an emergency in hospitals accordingly.

The house again turned down leave application of PTI's Haleem Adil Sheikh, who is also the opposition leader in the assembly. He has been absent from the proceeding for quite some time.

Speaker, Aga Siraj Khan Durrani announced the Sindh Governor's assent to "The Land Acquisition (Sindh Amendment) Bill, 2019".

The house adopted "The SZABIST University Bill, 2023 into law, which Sindh Health Minister, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho had tabled. The SZABIST imparts education to done 3000 students, she told the house.

The legislature also voted to adopt

"The Sindh Regulation of Electric Power Services Bill, 2023," following a report presentation by The Standing Committee on Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023