KARACHI, Aug 25: Sindh Agriculture Minister Ali Nawaz Shah on Monday informed the assembly that there was no shortage of fertilisers in Sindh, but complaints of non-availability of urea were prompted by its defective distribution system.
The minister gave this assurance to the house when Arif Jatoi of the NPP moved an adjournment motion pertaining to shortages of the DPA, urea and other fertilizers. In the motion, he demanded that the government make urgent arrangements for a sufficient supply of fertilisers to make them available at affordable prices. He said that due to the acute shortage and price escalation, the entire agricultural economy of Sindh was under threat.
Ali Nawaz Shah said the same issue was also raised on Aug 22 and he had already given a detailed reply in this regard that there was no shortage of fertilisers in Sindh after imports of 30,000 bags in the province except its defective distribution system.He said in order to remove difficulties of farmers and ensure fertiliser availability, monitors committees were being set up under the chairmanship of DCOs in every district.
The minister further said that on the one hand Mr Jatoi complained of a shortage of fertilisers and, on the other, he was talking about its black-marketing. He asked if there was a shortage, how fertilisers’ black-marketing was possible.
Mr Jatoi said he had raised the issue as small farmers were facing hardships in getting fertilisers and when, as reported in the press, there was a shortage of 600,000 bags, how it was possible that there should not be a shortage in Sindh, whose economy was based on agriculture.
Revenue Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Information Minister Shazia Marree and Law Minister Ayaz Soomro pointed out that they were not opposed to discussing the issue and wanted a detailed discussion, but under the rules it was not admissible. Besides, the contents of the adjournment motion were of the substantive motion. They reminded the chair that under Rule 73(20) of the Rules of Business, the motion could not be discussed as it had already been discussed on Aug 22.
Masroor Jatoi of the NPP pointed out that on the last sitting when the issue was raised and many members wanted to discuss it, the speaker had given the ruling that the motion would be taken up on Monday’s session.
Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, who was presiding over the house, after hearing arguments of its mover and the minister, ruled it out of order under Rule 73(2).
From Zia to Suharwardi
The house, which was called to order at 11.15am, behind 1.45 hours of its scheduled time of 9.30am, earlier adopted the resolution unanimously moved by Katchi Abadis Minister Rafique Engineer under Rule 211 after suspension of all relevant rules.
In the resolution the assembly recommended to the Sindh government to rename Zia-ul-Haq Colony, 13-D Ghulshan-i-Iqbal, as Munawwar Suharwardi Colony.
The last item on the agenda pertaining to the constitution of the standing committees and other committees as laid down in the rules was deferred by the house after Provincial Minister Shoaib Bokhari of the MQM pointed out that their parliamentary party leader Syed Sardar Ahmad was out of country while PPP Parliamentary Party leader Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq was also not present in the house because of his other engagements, the constitution of committees be put off for the next sitting.
Earlier, speaking on the point of order Shazia Marree regretted over the killing of a Christian woman in Korangi and asked for detailed information of the incident so that those involved in the crime could be taken to task.
She also condemned the killing of five women in Hub and demanded that the Balochistan government take severe action against the people involved to discourage such incidents.
After the agenda was completed, the chair called it a day at 1.35pm to resume business on 9.30am on Aug 27, which will be a private members’ day.
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