PA resolution condemns MQM-P’s bill in NA to change procedure for creation of new provinces

Amid pandemonium by the opposition legislators, the Sindh Assembly through a majority vote on Wednesday passed a resolution against the latest move by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) in the National Assembly to amend the constitutional procedure to alter the provincial boundaries in the country.

The MQM-P’s constitutional amendment bill in question aims at depriving the provincial assemblies of any powers regarding the creation of new provinces in the country.

The lawmakers of the MQM-P and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protested and later staged a walkout against the decision of Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani to let a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) present a resolution out of turn after suspending the relevant rules of procedure of the provincial assembly.

PPP MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio presented the resolution carrying signatures of a number of legislators from the treasury benches.

As legislators of the MQM-P gathered near the speaker’s rostrum to register their protest, Durrani said, “I will let myself die and cut into pieces but I will never allow any harm being done to Sindh. My family rendered numerous sacrifices for Sindh.”

The speaker went on to say that each and every child of Sindh would lay down their lives but never allow division of Sindh.

The resolution passed by the assembly stated: “This House vehemently condemns the intensions on the part of federal government for altering the limits of the province of Sindh. This step will indeed be tantamount to betraying the purpose of the federalism and against the wishes of the people of Sindh.

“Further Article 239(4) requires that the same bill shall be passed by the respective provincial assembly with 2/3rd majority for any change. Hence, this move is rejected by people of Sindh.”

The PPP lawmakers stood from their chairs to show their support for the resolution. They also shouted the famous slogan, “Marsoon, Marsoon Sindh Na Daisoon”, in the House. Speaking on the resolution, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said the PPP would always oppose such moves that aimed at the division of Sindh.

He said the present conspiracy was not just limited to Sindh as its scope would later be extended to other smaller provinces in the country as well. “Decisions regarding Sindh will be made by the elected representatives of the province. Nobody has the right to make a decision regarding our destiny,” said Ghani in an emotional tone.

He warned that they would be compelled to cross any limit in case the National Assembly or the Senate passed such bill. “We will make such a move, which can’t be imagined by anyone.” Opposition legislator of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) Nusrat Seher Abbasi also tabled in the PA her own resolution against the latest constitutional amendment bill of the MQM-P. She said the entire Sindh was against the latest bill moved by the MQM-P in the National Assembly and every member of the house belonging to the GDA would oppose any move to divide Sindh.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal MPA Syed Abdul Rasheed also supported the resolution, opposing the move of the MQM-P. He said amending the Article 342 of the Constitution, which provides the procedure for creating new provinces, would provide no solution to the problems of water shortage, unattended garbage and unemployment being faced by the people of Karachi.

Leader of the Opposition Firdous Shamim Naqvi, who belongs to the PTI, said his political party had always been against the division of Sindh, to which the speaker said in such case, the PTI should not have allowed the submission of the constitutional amendment bill in the National Assembly.

Ghani’s media talk

Talking to media persons, Ghani said the MQM-P wanted to change the provincial boundaries of Sindh but they would never be allowed to actualise their dream of Sindh’s division. He maintained that changes could not be made in the provincial boundaries without the consent of the assembly of that particular province.

He said the MQM-P submitted a bill before the National Assembly to remove the clause four of the Article 239 of the Constitution, which meant to snatch the constitutional right of the provincial assembly to allow or disallow any change in the boundaries of that particular province.

Ghani was of the view that the MQM-P had resorted to such a move after it failed in the Sindh Assembly in its designs to divide the province. He also criticised the federal parliamentary affairs minister who belongs to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for not opposing the MQM-P’s bill in question and allowing it to be referred to the standing committee.