KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday paid tribute to Oscar-winning film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy for winning her second Academy Award for a documentary on the menace of killing in the name of so-called honour.

Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Erum Khalid and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Heer Soho tabled two resolutions signed by members from both side of the aisle to praise Ms Obaid-Chinoy’s efforts towards raising the image of Pakistan globally.

The resolutions, when put to a vote by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani after over a dozen speeches, were carried unanimously.

The resolutions read: “The house congratulates Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on winning another Oscar Award for documentary A girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.

“Once again Sharmeen Obaid made Pakistan very proud. This documentary sends out a strong message against the heinous crime of honour killing because there is no honour in an honour killing.”

Besides the movers, provincial ministers and PPP lawmakers Nisar Khuhro, Murad Ali Shah, Nasir Hussain Shah, Khair-un-Nisa Moghul and Saira Shaliani, MQM’s parliamentary party leader Syed Sardar Ahmed, Erum Farooque and Zafar Kamali, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s parliamentary leader Samar Ali Khan and Dr Seema Zia and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional’s Mehtab Akbar Rashidi also spoke on the resolutions.

They said that Sharmeen, who belonged to Sindh and had been awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz in recognition of her services by then president Asif Ali Zardari, had become Pakistan’s pride.

They said that her film was a step forward in elimination of the social evil. They hoped that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would honour his commitment to Sharmeen regarding bringing some amendments to the law against honour killing.

The lawmakers said that by winning the Oscar for a second time, Sharmeen had given a good message at large and raised the name of Pakistan in the comity of the nations. Killing in the name of so-called honour was part of neither Islam nor Pakistani culture, they added.

After the adoption of the resolutions, the house, which was called to order at 11.15am, was adjourned at 2pm till Tuesday morning.

Social security bill passed

Earlier, the assembly unanimously passed the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Bill, 2016.

Senior Minister Khuhro tabled the bill and highlighted its aims and objectives. He said after the 18th Amendment to the Constitution the affairs related to workers had been devolved to provinces.

The purpose of the bill was to regulate the matters relating to employees’ social security and provide benefits to certain employees or their dependants in the event of sickness, maternity, employment, injury or death.

Earlier these matters were taken care of by the federal government, he added.

MQM’s parliamentary party head Sardar Ahmad extended his party’s support to the legislation and after clause-by-clause readings it was passed unanimously.

Earlier, the Karachi Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship Bill, 2015 was unanimously referred to the standing committee on education with the directives to submit its report to the house within 15 days.

In response to a call-attention notice of Syed Amir Hyder Shah Sheerazi of the PML-N, Health Minister Jam Mehtab Dhar informed the house that 500 vacancies of doctors of special cadres in Sindh, including 33 posts in the Civil Hospital Thatta, would soon be filled.

In reply to the call-attention notice of PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman, the house was informed that due action would be taken against liquor stores on the complaints of residents of Saddar.

Responding to the call-attention notice of PML-F’s Dr Rafique Bhanban, Senior Minister Khuhro informed the house that the repair work of a two-room government school in Taluqa Faiz Ganj would be completed by June 2016. He said that 85 students were enrolled in the school, whose roof had caved in.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2016