KARACHI: The MQM-Pakistan on Wednesday alarmed the Sindh Assembly about the unchecked and growing sales of drugs and Iranian petrol in the city’s District West, voicing concerns over the “worsening” law and order.

Sadaqat Hussain of the MQM questioned the PPP’s Sindh government as to which authority has “licensed” the sales of drugs and Iranian petrol in District West of Karachi, saying that the menace is mushrooming.

During a call attention notice, he alleged the Sindh police for the spread of narcotics and illegal fuel oil businesses, saying that the law enforcers are patronizing the contraband sales. “Law and order is getting worse,” he said.

In reply, Sindh Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mukesh Kumar Chawla said that the government is making efforts to stop sales of Iranian petrol and drugs in the city.

Another lawmaker of the MQM, Adeel Shahzad also voiced concerns over narcotics sales and illegal occupation of lands in Karachi. He said that lawlessness in his constituency PS 118 - is on the rise.

He blamed the police for its failure to stem street crimes, drugs sales and land grabbing. He said that the SSP continued to deny response to his calls, which he made because of a poor law and order.

In response, Mukesh lauded the concerned SSP as a “good” officer with a “very good” performance, asking the lawmakers to identify the outlaws so that the government could take action against them.

The assembly passed “The Sindh Medico Legal Bill, 2023”, into law about which Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Qasim Siraj Soomro told the lawmakers that it is aimed at introducing a scientific methodology to mark a trail of facts from a crime scene to a hospital.

He hoped the law will help justice happen on scientific evidence. He said that the government will impart training to nursing staffs under the law.

The lawmakers also voted to adopt “The Sindh Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2023,” which Mukesh Kumar had tabled, saying that the new amendment brings a word “peoples” with the revenue service centres. Now, it is Peoples Revenue Service Centre.

The house also passed “The Sindh Faculty of Paramedical and Allied Health Sciences Bill, 2023”, about which Qasim Soomro said that the legislation is aimed to align all concerned departments with this faculty.

“The University of Mirpurkhas Bill, 2021” and “The Sindh Higher Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021” were also approved into law. The session will now resume on August 2.

Speaker, Aga Siraj Khan Durrani also announced MQM’s Rana Ansar a new opposition leader in the assembly replacing PTI’s Haleem Adil Sheikh, who has been absent from the house since May 9. She thus becomes the first woman to lead an opposing in the Sindh Assembly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023