Parliamentary Affairs Minister says issue has already been discussed and an investigative committee is in place
Session of Sindh Assembly. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday denied the possibility of a debate on the tragic Gul Plaza fire, after a motion moved by Jamaat-e-Islami MP Muhammad Farooq was rejected.
Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, the House refused to discuss it, with Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar arguing that the matter had already been taken up in a previous sitting and a committee had been formed to investigate the matter. Farooq, however, demanded the inclusion of opposition members in the commission.
Meanwhile, the House passed a resolution to tackle the growing menace of thalassemia in Sindh. MQM MP Najm Mirza introduced the resolution calling for effective implementation of the Sindh Thalassemia Prevention and Control Act, 2013, which had been passed to deal with the increasing number of cases in the province.
MPA Mirza pointed out that before 2013, no legislation existed to combat the disease, and he called for stricter enforcement of the law.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Anwar supported the motion, adding that the provincial government had already established free thalassemia centers across the province. He assured the House that the government was determined to fight the disease. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
The House also debated a resolution moved by Asif Musi Gillani of the PPP, condemning the recent transporters’ strike that seriously affected Karachi and Port Qasim. The strike led to large-scale disruptions, leaving containers stranded at ports.
However, Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon rejected the resolution, saying he did not understand its purpose. He said the transporters had been victims of violence, including the burning of their vehicles, which led to the strike and subsequent disruption. Sharjeel urged Gillani to withdraw the motion, and the PPP member complied.
Another resolution, presented by PTI’s Muhammad Shabbir Qureshi, called for reauction of Sindh’s coal mine allocations at new rates. However, this motion was rejected by the House with Ziaul Anwar opposing it on the grounds that the current allocations could not be canceled without a proper procedure. Anwar suggested that Qureshi resubmit the resolution with more detailed documentation.
MPA Farooq also presented a resolution pleading for the extension of the BRT Red Line project from Numaish to the national highway. Sharjeel responded positively, stating 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 resolution.
A privilege motion was also moved by seven MQM legislators against District East Deputy Commissioner Nasrullah Abbasi, accusing him of inappropriate conduct. Lanjhar assured the members that the matter would be resolved by summoning the DC to hear the complaints. Following this, members withdrew their motion.
The session was suspended until 2:30 p.m. Friday.
