KARACHI, Feb 7: The joint opposition in the Sindh Assembly accused the coalition government of usurping rights of scores of good officers by hastily adopting an amendment to the Sindh Civil Servants Act 1973 to regularise out-of-turn promotions given to ‘handpicked’ officers.

The parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and former opposition leader in Sindh, Jam Madad Ali, explained to media persons outside the assembly hall on Thursday about the opposition’s walkout from the Sindh Assembly in protest when the second bill of 2013 seeking amendment to the Civil Servants Act 1973 was taken up for introduction and consideration in the House.

Disapproving of the style of adopting the bill which was taken up by the house in minutes, he said it was an important bill not only deciding the fate of people living in Sindh but also discussed the matter of out-of-turn promotions, an issue pending decision of the apex court.

Jam Madad Ali appealed to the chief justice to take notice of the matter and initiate action against it.

The PML-F leader said he had suggested to the chair that it appeared as though the provincial law minister was in a hurry to get the bill passed since two of his brothers would also benefit from it. He said that this was why he had suggested to the chair that the bill be referred to a relevant committee of the house and the verdict from the apex court be awaited.

He said that it was all right if a few police officials who had risked their lives for battling terrorism were given out-of-turn promotions. However, he said, promoting a large number of favourite officers was injustice against senior officials.

Mr Ali also contested the ruling party’s stance that it did not indulge in political victimisation of its opponents, revealing that the chief minister had cancelled urgent orders of providing electricity to nine small cities of populations between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the constituencies of Masroor Khan Jatoi and Arif Mustafa Jatoi when the National People’s Party (NPP) decided to part ways with the PPP-led government.

“Not only the schemes of NPP lawmakers were stopped but schemes in my own constituency were also stopped,” said the PML-F leader. “Funds of the Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded (Arbab group) were also not released.”

He said that Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sadiq Ali Memon of the PPP had been made ministers illegally and they should not sit in the House until results of the by-elections were announced.