Sindh Assembly calls for CII disbandment

By Ramzan Chandio
KARACHI - Terming the recent recommendations in favour of child marriage and against DNA tests in rape indictments by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the Sindh Assembly on Monday passed a resolution unanimously, demanding the federal government dissolve the council for its failure to play a positive role in the country.
Moved by female lawmaker Mahtab Akbar Rashidi of PML-F from the opposition benches, the resolution was jointly signed by parliamentary leaders of all the parties, ruling PPP, MQM, PTI and PML-N.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed, PML-N’s Irfanullah Marwat and PTI’s Samar Ali Khan signed the resolution and spoke against the CII’s recent recommendations which, according to them, were anti-women in nature.
In its resolution, the provincial assembly expressed its strong reservation over the recent recommendations of Council of Islamic Ideology (CCI), which according to them, was showing complete indifference and insensitivity to the issue pertaining to women.
The resolution opposed the Council of Islamic Ideology’s recommendations in favour of child marriage, second marriage without permission of the first wife and against DNA test for rapists’ indictments, terming all these recommendations an anti-women mindset.
The provincial assembly’s unanimous opinion was that, instead of resolving the issues, the Council of Islamic Ideology was creating more divide and confusion in the minds of the people.
The Sindh PA’s lawmakers, in their joint resolution, urged the federal government to dissolve the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) which, according to them, was unable to perform a positive role.
Senior Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said child marriage was against the basic principles of Islam, so the CII should avoid proposing anti-Islam and anti-women steps.
Mahtab Akbar Rashidi of PML-F, who was mover of the resolution, said the CII, which was only a recommendatory body, was gender-biased.
She said: “We, the females, should raise voice within our parties to get due role and status according to our ability.” She argued that when the age of 18 years was required to get CNICs, driving licences and other all documents, the same age must be mandatory for marriage.
PML-N’s parliamentary leader Irfanullah Marwat said the CII didn’t have any powers and authority to impose its “Fatwas” as it was only a recommendatory body. He said if the National Assembly lacked courage to oppose the CII, the Sindh Assembly would not accept its recommendations.
MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed said the government should appoint those as members of the Council of Islamic Ideology who had knowledge of Islamic laws. Later, the house passed the resolution unanimously amid thumping of desks.
The house, through a resolution moved by Sharmila Farooqui of PPP, condemned the judicial murder of former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and paid rich tribute to him on his 35th anniversary on April 4.
Through another resolution, the Sindh Assembly condemned the attack on journalist Raza Rumi in Lahore, demanding the Punjab government take action against the culprits. The provincial assembly also reaffirmed commitment to the freedom of expression and speech, terming it a basic right of all citizens of Pakistan and urging all the members to stand by journalists and media persons.
Earlier, opposition leader, Syed Faisal Sabzwari, on a point of order, drew attention of the government towards a barbaric incident of murder of a five-year-old girl after rape in the Bheempura area of the city. He demanded the government toughen the laws and ensure exemplary punishment against the rapists.
The MQM leader asked the government to ensure setting up of forensic labs and make legislation for holding DNA test mandatory in rape cases.
In his reply, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro supported the views shared by the opposition leader and said the Sindh government would make a law soon to ensure DNA test mandatory in rape cases.
Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon suggested a change in academic syllabi to teach children about their rights.
Later, the house passed “The Provincial Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2014” unanimously, increasing penalty against the violation of motor vehicles and traffic rules in the province.
The Sindh government was following the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965. Through the amendments, penalties of at least 52 categories of traffic violations have been increased. They include overloading in public transport vehicles from Rs 300 to Rs 1000, obstruction in movement of emergency vehicles from Rs 150 to Rs300, driving at night without proper light from Rs 300 to Rs 500 and driving with tinted glasses from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.
Earlier, a special committee was formed to look into the privilege motion of Ms Khairunnisa Mughal of PPP against the controller examinations of Sindh University, Tariq Narejo, who didn’t attend the her call.
Meanwhile, replying to a call-attention notice of Ms Naila Munir of MQM, the parliamentary affairs minister told the house that the Sindh government had provided wheat to 225,896 families for one month, while the similar relief would be given for another three months.
Through her call-attention notice, Dr Seema Zia of PTI sought from the government a plan to ban the abuse of infants and children on streets by beggars under extreme climate. The provincial minister said a law already existed in this regard, saying “we all should come forward to implement the same.”
Mir Nadir Magsi of the ruling PPP, while referring to a long absence of PML-N MPA Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, former Sindh chief minister, from the house, suggested disqualification of those members who do not bother to attend the session. The chair said legislation in this regard was required as currently no such law existed at present.
Meanwhile, PML-F’s Nand Kumar and others raised the issue of theft of statues from a Hindu temple in Deplo of Tharparkar and said such incidents were a conspiracy to create hatred among the permanent residents of the province.
Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also termed such incidents a conspiracy to create hatred and differences among the Hindus and Muslims in the province. He added the government would foil all such nefarious designs.
The house which commenced at 11.25am was adjourned by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani to meet again on April 7.
http://www.nation.com.pk/national/01-Apr-2014/sindh-assembly-calls-for-cii-disbandment

JSQM demands independent Sindh at Freedom March

| Qureshi appeals UN, world powers to help Sindh get independence | MQM, nationalist groups attend funeral of Mahaz leaders | Warns MQM against policy of divide and rule | Alleges establishment of supporting extremist religious groups

By RAMZAN CHANDIO

KARACHI: As the people across the country celebrated Pakistan Day on Sunday, a large number of people under the banner of a nationalist cum separatist group participated in a ‘Freedom March” in Karachi, demanding a separate, independent status for Sindh province.

Led by Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz (JSQM) leaders, people from across the province – wearing Sindhi caps and Ajrak and chanting ‘Sindh Ghuray thee Azadi’ (Sindh wants freedom) – thronged MA Jinnah Road and rallied from Numaish Chorangi to Tibet Centre.
The two lanes of the MA Jinnah Road from Tibet Centre to Taj Complex were filled with people holding party flags and chanting slogans for freedom of the Sindh from the Pakistan. Though exact number of the participants could not be fairly estimated, JSQM leaders claimed that over 0.2 million people participated in the rally.
Before the speech of JSQM’s chairman Sunan Qureshi, who led the march, the anthem of Jeay Sindh was also sung by the participants. Qureshi in his speech blamed security and intelligence agencies for killing his uncle Maqsood Qureshi and Salman Wadho, declaring them as “Martyrs of Freedom March”. The separatist leader appealed to the UN and world powers to help Sindhis get independence from Pakistan.
Following JSQM chief’s speech, funeral prayer Maqsood and Wadho were offered by the marchers. Their bodies were placed in an ambulance parked in front of the bridge at Tibet Centre, which was used as stage for delivering the speeches by nationalist party’s leaders. The two leaders were found dead with their bodies burnt up two days ago at Bhirya Town in Naushahro Firoze district of Sindh.
Representatives of other Sindhi nationalist parties including Syed Zain Shah of Sindh United Party (SUP), Sindh National Party (SNP) Chairman Amir Bhanbhro, Chairmen of their own faction of Jeay Sindh Mohaz (JSM) Abdul Khaliq Junejo and Riaz Chandio, Sindh Tarqi Passand Party (STPP) leader Gulzar Soomro, Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) leader Mazhar Rahojo, Sindh Qaumparast Party Chairman Qamar Bhattti and others participated in the funeral prayer and freedom march of the JSQM.
An MQM delegation led by its coordination committee member and MPA Asfaq Mangi earlier in the morning went to the residence of JSQM’s chairman and expressed their solidarity and condolences. Earlier, the people coming from across the province gathered at Gulshan-e-Hadeed, from where they in caravans of vehicles and led by of JSQM chairman Sunan Qureshi, vice chairman Dr Niaz Kalani and Asif Baladi reached at the venue of the march at MA Jinnah Road. Besides men, a large number of women and children also participated in the freedom march.
JSQM chairman in his brief speech alleged that murder of Maqsood Qureshi and Salman Wadho was continuation of the killing spree started by the state with his father Shaheed Bashir Khan Qureshi’s killing over organising the freedom rally at the same venue on March 23. He termed the Urdu-speaking people “our equal brothers” and part of Sindhi nation. Referring to MQM, he warned against policy of divide and rule saying that Sindh was there indivisible motherland.
Maqsood Qureshi also criticised establishment’s policy of supporting the extremist religious groups, saying that Sindh is land of the sufis and secular people where religious extremism does not exist nor there was any ‘Sindhi Taliban’ present in the province. He also referred the influx of illegal immigrants and people from other areas of the country in Sindh, demanding sending them back.
The nationalist leader presented a brief history of “injustices with Sindh and plundering of its resources by the Centre”. He said the people of Thar were dying of hunger and malnutrition, while 28 percent of Sindh population had fallen victim to the Hepatitis B and C because of lack of clean drinking water. He announced that his party will continue following the ideology of GM Syed, who spread message of freedom of Sindh and struggled to secure an independent status for the province through nonviolent means.
SMIU TO ORGANISE SEMINAR
APP adds: Sindh Madressatul Islam University (SMIU) will organise a three-day 2nd International Seminar `Sindh through the Centuries', at a local hotel from March 24, at 9.00 am.
 According to statement issued here on Sunday, around 60 scholars, researchers and historians from Pakistan and abroad will read papers during ten sessions of the mega event.
The inaugural session will be chaired by Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, leader of opposition in National Assembly while Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, will be the chief guest. Renowned intellectual, historian and former education minister of Sindh Dr Hamida Khuhro will present keynote paper. Dr Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Vice Chancellor, SMIU will deliver the welcome address.

http://www.nation.com.pk/karachi/24-Mar-2014/jsqm-demands-independent-sindh-at-freedom-march

Probe holds dist admin, depts responsible

By Ramzan Chandio
KARACHI - The initial findings of an inquiry of Sindh government has found the district administration of Thar and concerned provincial departments negligent in responding timely to provide relief aid to the drought affected people of Thar area, where malnutrition and diseases took the lives of over 100 children.Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sindh Police for Hyderabad Region, Sanaullah Abbasi, ho was assigned a task by Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to made inquiry into reasons of the deaths of the children, migration of the people as well as diseases in the cattle linked to the occurrence of drought in Thar area.Sources told The Nation that DIG Hyderabad police, in his initial report, held the responsible/negligent to the district administration (Deputy Commissioner, Revenue, Food, Livestock, Health, Finance and other officers) of Thar district and departments of the provincial government including Relief, Food, Health, Finance and others for delaying response in indicating the calamity as well as giving timely help to the people.  When contacted, Hyderabad police DIG Sanaullah Abbasi, via phone, told The Nation that he has submitted the initial report. He said he had conducted the interviews of provincial and district departments’ officers, lower cadre employees, local people, social scientists, researchers, who were working in the field, and then reached at a conclusion.It is expected that Sindh government will submit the same report before the Supreme Court and Sindh High Courts’ benches, which are hearing the Thar drought issue in their suo moto petitions.The social scientists and researchers are criticising the Sindh government for its role in poor response to the permanent problem of the Thar drought where people along with their cattle left their homes and settled in irrigated areas of the province in search of livelihood. But the government does not provide water to the Thar people with permanent solution to their doorsteps, who depend on the wells or to wait for rains.Meanwhile, the situation has not changed as drought affected people are still waiting for food and medicines in open sky but the Sindh government is just making tall claims of initiating mega projects in the Thar area.The director general of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has claimed that the relief activities in the drought hit district of Tharparkar were continued for the last more than 11 days. The relief activities have also been expanded to other districts including Umerkot, Sanghar and Khairpur where red alert of famine has been issued by the Sindh government.On the directives of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Sindh government had installed 120 reverse osmosis water filtration plants in Tharparkar of which each plant was providing 200,000 gallons of potable water to the people of Tharparkar, he claimed. Sindh government was carrying out work on additional 190 water schemes for drinking and irrigation purposes. The work on 54-kilometre-long water pipeline from Lonikot to Nangarparkar was being laid with accelerated pace with preliminary cost of Rs540 million.He said since he had also been elected from Tharparkar and during his time, major steps were taken for bringing improvements in lives of people of Tharparkar. Small dams were constructed, reverse osmosis water filtration plants were installed and 190 water schemes were under construction. Measures for irrigation and fodder for livestock were also taken. Reverse osmosis plants were also being installed at around 643 villages in Tharparkar while extra steps were being taken for electrification of far flung areas of Tharparkar through solar energy.The minister said the Sindh government was working on a variety of projects. The relief and rehabilitation works were in full swing in drought-hit Tharparkar especially supply of pure potable water, milk and other nutritious food for children and mothers and other edible commodities especially wheat and rice. The Tharparkar Development Authority was also established with plans to initiate major projects for employment, trade facilities, water for drinking and irrigation and health sectors.


http://www.nation.com.pk/karachi/19-Mar-2014/probe-holds-dist-admin-depts-responsible