KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday adopted a resolution declaring that the term of the house would complete on Aug 13.

Concluding the discussion on the resolution moved by a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member, Leader of the House Syed Murad Ali Shah said the term of the provincial assembly was five years as per Article 107 of the Constitution.

“Though Article 112 of the Constitution empowers the chief minister to dissolve the assembly, but it cannot be done following someone’s wishes or dreams,” the CM said, referring to the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.

He said that if the Sindh Assembly had to be dissolved in the national interest, he would consult and take the provincial lawmakers into confidence.

Except PTI, all other opposition parties vote in favour of PPP resolution

CM Shah said Punjab’s then CM Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and majority of the members did not want to dissolve the Punjab Assembly, but it was done as per the wish of a man who was ousted from the Prime Minster House through a constitutional move, he said referring to the removal of Imran Khan from the office of prime minister through a vote of no-confidence.

He welcomed the resolution and said that it would help address the current political situation in the country.

The resolution moved by PPP MPA Nawabzada Burhan Chandio read that the current assembly performed its constitutional obligations in a befitting manner while representing the people of the province effectively and raising issues of public importance and guiding the government in finding solutions.

The resolution said: “It is, therefore, resolved that the current assembly should complete its tenure of five years starting from 13.08.2018 and, thereafter, upon completion of its tenure, the caretaker government should be constituted as provided under Article 224(1A) of the Constitution to ensure free and fair elections, as stipulated in Article 224(1) of the Constitution”.

When the resolution was put to the house for voting by Deputy Speaker Rehana Leghari, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members opted to remain silent while other opposition parties — the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) — supported it.

During the discussion on the resolution, the opposition parties, particularly the PTI and GDA, mainly criticised the provincial government and PPP leadership, asking the treasury benches as to what prompted to move such a resolution.

PTI’s Firdaus Shamim Naqvi said the provincial assembly might complete its tenure, but it could not dictate others for holding elections across the country simultaneously. He viewed the Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved under Article 112 and those who were not conducting the polls within 90 days were violating the Constitution.

He also questioned the tabling of the resolution regarding the completion of the provincial assembly. “It seemed that the purpose of bringing the resolution in the Sindh Assembly today is that the judiciary does not take any decision,” he remarked.

Arif Mustafa Jatoi of the GDA supported the resolution, but said that there was history of dissolution of assemblies before completion of their respective tenures.

Mover of the resolution Burhan Chandio criticised the PTI leadership and said that the country was facing the devastation of floods and the PTI chief was demanding for early elections.

Shaharyar Mahar of the GDA said that his party supported the spirit of the resolution although they had reservations over the PPP’s ‘selectiveness’.

Syed Abdul Rasheed of the MMA, PPP members Sharmila Farooqui, Imdad Pitafi and Raja Razzaq; PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman and MQM-P’s Rashid Khilji and Sadaqat Hussain also spoke.

Earlier, before the commencement of the session, the PTI members present in the house protested over the delay in proceedings. They gathered before the rostrum of the speaker and chanted slogan.

The sitting was adjourned to Friday.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2023