ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on the opening day of its winter session on Monday witnessed a war of words among major political parties over the issue of water shortage in the country, particularly in Karachi, as members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) alleged that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh was patronising “tanker mafia”.

Taking advantage of the weak handling of the proceedings by Speaker Asad Qaiser and his generosity in giving floor to everyone, the members held almost a full-fledged debate on the water shortage issue when the house took up a calling attention notice on the matter that had been moved by five PTI lawmakers from Karachi.

Under the rules, only the movers of a calling attention notice can ask brief and specific questions and the minister concerned is required to give replies.

The speaker many a time announced that they had already decided to hold a debate on the economic situation and water shortage during the current session that will continue till Nov 9.

Opposition stages walkout over Shahbaz’s delayed arrival

At the outset of the sitting, the opposition members staged a walkout from the house over what they called “a deliberate delay by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)” in bringing Leader of the Opposition and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif from Lahore to attend the session despite issuance of his production order by the speaker.

The opposition members, however, returned to the house when Mr Sharif was brought to the Parliament House by the NAB authorities.

Talking informally to the reporters, Mr Sharif alleged that the NAB officials were reluctant to bring him to Islamabad from Lahore and claimed that it was upon his insistence that they finally agreed to allow him to attend the NA session. He alleged that the NAB officials had intentionally brought him to Islamabad by road after cancellation of his flight.

There was unusual hustle and bustle inside the Parliament House due to the presence of a large number of political activists who had come to see the oath-taking of the members who had been recently elected in the by-elections. The press gallery was also abuzz with discussions among the journalists who had gathered in large numbers expecting some fireworks from the opposition over the recent decision of the government to increase power tariff, besides hoping another fiery speech from Mr Sharif like he did during the requisition session some two weeks back. However, Mr Sharif made no speech despite the fact that he remained present in the house till its adjournment.

Former president Asif Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also attended the sitting and silently heard the criticism against their party-led government in Sindh. The reply to the criticism came from senior party leaders Syed Khursheed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar and Shazia Marri.

The speaker also administered oath to 10 new members who were elected in the Oct 14 by-elections.

Water shortage

Raising the issue of “non-availability of potable water in all parts of the country, including Islamabad and particularly in Karachi”, the PTI legislators warned that Karachi could witness a mutiny due to severe water crisis.

Faheem Khan, a PTI lawmaker from the Korangi area of Karachi, said water shortage had become a “political issue”. He questioned when water was not available to the citizens, where did this “tanker mafia” get water from.

Saifur Rehman, an MNA from Karachi East, warned that there could be a “civil war” in Karachi over acute shortage of water. Making a direct attack on the PPP, he said there was no government in Sindh, but a “mafia” was ruling the province.

PTI legislator Attaullah Khan claimed that an “artificial shortage” had been created in Karachi, as “ministers are involved in selling of water”. He claimed that they were receiving threats for raising the matter. “They (PPP) have been ruling the province for 10 years. If the Sindh government is not involved, it should immediately hold a crackdown on tanker mafia,” he went on saying, amidst noisy protest by PPP members.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan added fuel to the fire when he joined his voice with his party colleagues from the port city and asked the Sindh government to take action against tanker mafia and offered assistance from the federal government in this regard. He said there were 17,000 workers in the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and most of them were ‘ghost’ employees. He also criticised the previous PML-N government for not releasing funds for Karachi’s K-IV water project.

PPP lawmaker Naveed Qamar was of the opinion that discussing a “provincial subject” in the National Assembly was a violation of the Constitution and rules. He blamed the federal government for the water crisis in Karachi and said why Islamabad had not provided the required funds for the crucial K-IV project.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari took exception to Mr Qamar’s assertion and said that water was a “fundamental and human rights issue” and the NA could hold a debate over it. She said it was the PML-N government that had not provided the required funds to resolve the issue.

PPP leader Khursheed Shah said that people across the country were facing water shortage but the issue was more serious in Sindh as it was situated at the tail end of the Indus. He said the issue was ignored not only by the previous PML-N government but also by the ruling PTI in its minibudget.

A lawmaker from Karachi’s Malir area criticised the working of water commission under retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, saying that he was running a “parallel government” in Sindh. He said the commission chief had become more powerful than the chief minister of the province. He claimed the issue could be resolved if elected representatives were given the powers.

Abdul Qadir Patel, another PPP MNA from Karachi, in an indirect attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said that those who were responsible for burdening the water board with ghost employees were sitting with the PTI on the treasury benches.

There was also a brief verbal fight between Planning Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiyar with his predecessor Ahsan Iqbal on the issue.

Mr Iqbal clarified that the PML-N government had paid Rs12.1 billion to the Sindh government for K-IV project out of Rs12.6 billion. He also alleged that a number of water projects, which had been initiated by the PML-N government, were dropped by the PTI government.

Resolution

The National Assembly also passed a resolution condemning atrocities being committed by the security forces in the India-held Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2018