KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was informed on Monday that around 81 industrial units, including 10 textile mills and five sugar mills, had been closed during the past five years due to the electricity crisis in the province.

Furnishing statement and replies to the lawmakers’ written and verbal queries, Parliamentary Secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department Ali Ahmed said that the power crisis had affected the industrial activities a lot in the province and the industrialists were concerned and worried about power shortage.

In reply to a question by Leader of Opposition Ali Khurshidi, he said that the provincial government was extending all possible cooperation to industrialists.

The opposition leader expressed his concern over the unsatisfactory replies given by the parliamentary secretary and said that he wanted to know as to how many industrial units were closed and how many new units were established during 2018 to 2023 and added that he had not been given answer of his question.

House unanimously passes Sindh Control of Narcotic Substances Bill

Mr Khurshidi said that the lawmakers were not being given satisfactory replies to their questions.

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani stood to rescue the parliamentary secretary and said that that question pertained to the labour department and not to the industries and commerce department.

To a question, parliamentary secretary said that around 81 industrial units, including 10 textile mills and a cement factory, were closed during the past five years.

In reply to a verbal question, the parliamentary secretary said that 6,856 units were operational across the province and 915 new industrial units were established.

Provincial narcotic law

The assembly unanimously passed the Sindh Control of Narcotic Substances Bill, 2024 to regulate matters relating to narcotics, synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances, including commonly known ice, meth, crystal, ecstasy and molly.

Under the new law, an officer not below the rank of inspector narcotics control, is authorised to enter without search and arrest warrants any building, place, premises or conveyance if he has information about the concealment of narcotic, drugs and precursor chemicals or controlled substance and methamphetamine.

The authorised narcotics officer can break open any door and remove any other obstacles during raid and arrest any person whom he has reason to believe to have committed an offence punishable under the Act.

The officer in charge of the operation is also required to make video recording of all raids, seizures, inspections and arrests.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Najam Mirza told Dawn that Sindh emerged as the second province to make provincial anti-narcotics law as the KP had earlier in 2019 adopted the provincial anti-narcotics law.

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani informed the house that as many as 13 licenses had been issued so far for the extraction of subsoil water in the city under the revised rules adopted by the Sindh government for the purpose.

He said that initially 34 licences had been issued for subsoil water extraction under the 2018 law as 20 of them were later rescinded due to violation of the rules.

The house was adjourned to Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2024