The Sindh Assembly session began on Monday under the chairmanship of Speaker Syed Owais Qadir Shah. During the proceedings of the house, MQM member Quratul Ain moved a resolution that street lights should be installed on all highways. On this, Provincial Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that all the highways of the country are under the control of the federal government. He asked the member of the assembly to ask his party members to raise this issue in the National Assembly. Sharjeel Memon said that after the 18th Amendment, the provinces are autonomous. He criticized Federal Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif and Mustafa Kamal for making statements against the 18th Amendment. He said that Jinnah Hospital was previously under the control of the federal government, today people from all over the country are getting treatment in Jinnah Hospital and NICVD. All this is due to the 18th Amendment. Sharjeel Memon further said that the federal ministers of MQM and PML-N are the products of Form 47 and are not real public representatives. He said that after the 18th Amendment, the provinces have made significant progress in health, education, energy and other sectors, but it is a matter of regret that today some ministers of the federal government are speaking against the same amendment. He said that the federal ministers should first see the benefits of this amendment and the performance of the provinces as a result. Regarding energy, he said that today more than 3,500 MW of electricity is being generated from Thar. This electricity is not only for Sindh or any one city but for the whole of Pakistan and is being added to the national grid. This energy generated from the resources of Sindh is benefiting the entire country. Explore the history books. He said that the federal ministers should first see the benefits of this amendment and the performance of the provinces as a result. Regarding energy, he said that today more than 3,500 MW of electricity is being generated from Thar. This electricity is not only for Sindh or any one city but for the whole of Pakistan and is being added to the national grid. This energy generated from Sindh’s resources is benefiting the entire country. Explore history books
He said that similarly, Sindh has made significant progress in the fields of health, education and infrastructure after the 18th Amendment. Universities and modern medical facilities have been established in cities like Sukkur.
The senior minister described the statements made by federal ministers regarding the provinces and the 18th Amendment in the last few days as extremely regrettable. Addressing other federal ministers including Mustafa Kamal, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif, he said that if there is any objection to the 18th Amendment or the powers of the provinces, then come and speak in the parliament.
He said that we have representatives in the Sindh Assembly who are capable of answering everything you say constitutionally, legally and with statistics. You can make statements in front of the media or in public gatherings, but if you really have an argument and a position, then come and speak in the assembly.
He asked the federal ministers to first go among the people, get elected by the people and then talk about the decisions of the nation. People sitting on charitable or artificial mandates cannot make the decisions of the nation.
During the proceedings of the house, Jamaat-e-Islami member Muhammad Farooq drew attention to the fact that some Pakistani citizens have been in the custody of Somali pirates for 4 and a half months. There is a demand from the federal government to release them immediately. He also said that today the police have picked up those protesting on this issue.
During the meeting, Speaker Owais Qadir Shah expressed concern over the power crisis and load shedding in Sindh. He said that the federal government should be discussed on this issue and a letter should be written. He said that the federal government only talks against Sindh. The Speaker directed that the heads of power companies be summoned in the meeting of the relevant committee.
Later, the meeting was adjourned till Tuesday afternoon.