KARACHI, Feb 13: Though livestock may well be one of the pillars of Sindh’s agriculture-based economy, quite a few members of the Sindh Assembly apparently were clearly in a festive mood as laughter, desk thumping and quips centred around animals echoed in the hall of the hallowed house, while debate was put on the back burner and seriousness of purpose was found sorely lacking during Friday’s question hour.
Livestock Minister Abdul Haque Bhurt was visibly out of his league as he struggled with notes and gave vague, abstruse answers to supplementary questions that amused the house rather than sparking any serious debate. Many members – including ministers – added to the merry atmosphere by asking questions that appeared to be designed to poke fun rather than probe. On more than one occasion Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro had to intervene to prevent the house from descending into total disarray.
The only constructive activity to emerge from the whole episode was the furnishing of written replies to the House by Mr Bhurt.
The Pakistan People’s Party’s Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto had asked the minister for the number and location of research and diagnostic laboratories in the veterinary sector in Sindh.
Mr Bhurt replied that there were seven research labs – the main facility in Tando Jam and six sub-centres – while the number of diagnostic labs in the province numbered 14, with the main lab in Karachi.
When Heer Ismail Soho of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement asked for the difference between technical staff and skilled staff, Mr Bhurt said that technical staff was “technically trained”.
A member asked if the research centres had mobile teams, to which the minister said some facilities had mobile teams while others didn’t, adding that the government was trying to provide these teams for all labs.
Cattle colonies
The PPP’s Shamim Ara Panhwar asked Abdul Haque Bhurt if the government intended to establish cattle colonies in every district of Sindh. In his written reply, the minister said that such colonies would be built under a Rs3,328.912 million public-private participation scheme. In phase I, six colonies were envisaged: two in Taluka Mithi, one in Taluka Diplo of District Tharparkar and one colony each in Tando Allahyar, Umerkot and Khairpur. He added that work on three of the colonies had started and the scheme was expected to be completed by June 30, 2011.
Public Accounts Committee chairman Jam Tamachi Unnar – one of the few members who was in a sober mood during the proceedings – suggested that cattle colonies had been successfully established in Punjab and Sindh might want to learn from the experience.
Ms Panwhar had also asked for the details of animal hospitals and their budget in Sindh. Though Mr Bhurt had placed the detailed answers on the floor of the house, the supplementary questions and answers related to this query seemed to draw a lot of laughs.
At one point Mr Bhurt stated that it was part of the PPP’s manifesto to provide free treatment to animals. In a more serious moment, he said the government would look into the alleged use of expired animal vaccines.
To a question about the possibility of foreign-funded cattle farms being established in Sindh, the minister said both private parties and foreign investors were being consulted about the issue.
Meanwhile, there were two gems that came from the treasury benches that might have been great on the slapstick circuit, but why they were asked on the floor of the house was questionable. Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza – who had been dissuaded from asking a supplementary question by the speaker earlier – asked if there was gender discrimination in veterinary hospitals.
Another PPP lawmaker shared with the house that her pet dog was injured two years ago, yet did not get the requisite first aid at a veterinary hospital.
Nadeem Bhutto asked the minister if reports about diseases breaking out in domestic animals in upper Sindh after the last rains were true. When the minister claimed this was not the case, Mr Bhutto said that certain press reports had stated this was indeed the case. “Are the press reports right or is the minister?” he asked. Mr Bhurt replied that there had been a few deaths but there was no epidemic.
When asked if Mad Cow disease was to be found in the province, the livestock minister said this was “an English disease”.
It was nice to see the lawmakers in such a jovial mood, though one thinks that perhaps the people’s representatives can make better use of time in the legislature – as well as the remunerations they earn, paid for by the people – than cracking animal jokes and indulging in other trivialities.
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