The parliamentary minister says that the issue has already been discussed, a committee of inquiry is in place
Sindh Assembly Session. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday denied the opportunity for a debate on the tragic Gul Plaza fire incident after a motion moved by Jamaat-e-Islami MPA Muhammad Farooq was rejected.
Despite the scale of the tragedy, Parliament refused to discuss it, with Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar arguing that the matter had already been dealt with in a previous meeting and that a committee had been set up to investigate the matter. However, Farooq demanded opposition members in the committee.
Meanwhile, Parliament passed a resolution aimed at tackling the growing menace of thalassemia in Sindh. MQM’s MPA Najm Mirza introduced the resolution calling for effective implementation of the Sindh Prevention and Control of Thalassemia Act 2013, which had been enacted to address the increasing number of cases in the province.
MPA Mirza stressed that prior to 2013 no legislation existed to tackle the disease and he called for more robust enforcement of the law.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Anwar supported the motion, adding that the provincial government had already set up free thalassemia centers across the province. He assured the house that the government was committed to curbing the disease. The decision was unanimously adopted.
The House also discussed a resolution moved by PPP’s Asif Musi Gillani condemning the recent strike by transporters which had severely affected Karachi and Port Qasim. The strike resulted in large-scale disruption, leaving containers stranded at the ports.
However, Senior Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon rejected the resolution saying he did not understand its purpose. He clarified that transporters had been victims of violence, including the burning of their vehicles, which led to the strike and subsequent disturbances. Sharjeel urged Gillani to withdraw the motion and the PPP member complied.
Another resolution, introduced by PTI’s Muhammad Shabbir Qureshi, called for re-auction of coal mining allotments in Sindh at new rates. However, this proposal was rejected by Parliament, with Ziaul Anwar opposing it on the grounds that the current allocations could not be canceled without due process. Anwar suggested that Qureshi resubmit the decision with more detailed documentation.
MPA Farooq also presented a resolution advocating an extension of the BRT Red Line project from Numaish to the National Highway. Sharjeel responded positively and stated that if it were up to him, the project would be extended by another 150 kilometers. However, he noted that such decisions required the approval of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). With Sharjeel’s assurance, Farooq withdrew the decision.
A privilege motion was also moved by seven MQM legislators against District East Deputy Commissioner Nasrullah Abbasi, accusing him of inappropriate behaviour. Lanjhar assured the members that the matter would be addressed by summoning the DC to hear the complaints. The members then withdrew their proposal.
The meeting was adjourned until Friday at 2:30 p.m.
