Opposition MPAs walk out as resolution on TMAs snubbed

Karachi
The opposition lawmakers staged a walkout from the provincial assembly’s proceedings on Tuesday in protest against the manner in which a resolution - calling for the judicious use of the funds being released to town authorities - was turned down.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPAs wanted a division of the House for a vote count on the acceptance or rejection of the resolution moved by opposition leader Muhammad Shaharyar Khan Mahar.
Instead, deputy speaker Shehla Raza opted for conducting the traditional method of voice voting wherein the resolution was rejected.
In the private resolution, PML-F’s Mahar demanded that the provincial government’s local government department should ensure that the funds provided to the municipal administrations were utilised for the purpose they were meant for including cleaning, maintenance of drains, smoothly running pumping stations etc.
After holding a debate on the subject, the mover of the resolution wanted that a division of the House should take place for a vote count on the passage of the resolution.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement too seemed interested in supporting the resolution and there were not enough treasury lawmakers present in the House at that time.
The resolution was likely to have been passed if the vote count method was adopted, but the deputy speaker decided to use the traditional method of voice voting.
Earlier while speaking in favour of the resolution, PML-F and MQM lawmakers said the municipal agencies in the province were performing poorly, causing inconvenience to the masses.
They added that there was shortage of clean drinking water and sewers and roads were in a bad shape. The PML-F MPAs alleged that the appointments in the municipal agencies were taking place on the basis of corruption and nepotism.
From the treasury’s side, parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro and information and local government minister Sharjeel Inam Memon opposed the resolution and denied the allegations.
Memon said for the first time, the provincial government had ordered the municipal agencies to post their expenditure records on their websites.
“The present provincial government has taken stern action against town municipal officials involved in corruption,” he said.
“Lawmakers will also be involved in monitoring of use of funds being released to the municipal agencies.”
The minister said the state of affairs of the municipal system had started worsening during the era of former ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.
He added that in the previous local government system, the municipal agencies were overburdened through overstaffing.
“At present, the funds being released to the municipal bodies are used up in disbursing salaries to their employees,” he pointed out.
“The issue of ghost employees of the municipal agencies has to be sorted out first for solving matters like sanitation and drainage systems.”

Support price
Earlier, MQM lawmaker Heer Ismail Soho also staged a walkout from the House when her adjournment motion to discuss the alleged failure of the provincial government in implementing the fixed support price of sugarcane was rejected by the chair.
Parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro opposed the resolution observing that that the issue of the sugarcane support price could not be discussed in the House as the matter had become sub-judice.

Residential schemes
The provincial assembly through a majority vote rejected a private resolution moved by PML-N MPA Sorath Thebo for stopping the sale of provincial land on cheaper rates for Bahria Town and other residential schemes.
At that time, other PML-N and PML-F lawmakers had already left the House in protest. The resolution was opposed by the lawmakers of the Pakistan People’s Party and the MQM.
Senior education minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and MQM MPA Kamran Akhtar spoke about the public welfare operations of Bahria Town and also the new housing schemes’ positive impacts on the economy.
Khuhro said Bahria Town had developed major residential schemes in Islamabad and Lahore but none of the quarters concerned in those parts of the upcountry had raised any objections or opposed the schemes.
Akhtar said Bahria Town had launched public welfare projects to the tune of Rs1 billion and also building public universities named after MQM chief Altaf Hussain and the late Benazir Bhutto.
Separately, the House unanimously passed a resolution tabled by MQM lawmaker Irum Azeem Farooque asking the provincial government to take action against the construction of illegal high-rise buildings in Karachi.
A private resolution by MQM legislator Muhammad Hussain Khan calling upon the provincial government to approach the Centre for the early issuance of computerised national identity cards to the residents of Orangi Town in Karachi was also passed.
The House also unanimously passed a private resolution by PML-F’s Nand Kumar asking the provincial government to buy wheat from farmers to safeguard their economic interests.