KARACHI, Aug 15: The Sindh Assembly on Friday, before the session was prorogued, adopted two important bills unanimously after a brief discussion.

The first bill, which was an amendment bill, is aimed at curbing the trend of profiteering and hoarding before the advent of Ramazan, while the other bill pertains to setting up the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana.

After Law Minister Ayaz Soomro introduced the Sindh Government Bill No 8, the Sindh Essential Commodities Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill, 2008, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that the proposed amendment should be accepted generally in the interests of curbing profiteering and hoarding before the advent of Ramazan.

Arif Ali Khan Jatoi of the opposition National People’s Party said the need existed to make the penalties harsher by enhancing the sentence to one year instead of six months and increasing the fine from Rs30,000 to Rs100,000. He said in view of the soaring prices, the bill should be passed at the earliest.

Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq opposed Mr Jatoi’s amendment, saying that the punishment should be proportionate to the crime and one which could be implemented. The law minister pointed out that the government was considering giving raiding powers to mukhtiarkars and assistant mukhtiarkars for making the law more effective.

Minister for Prices and Bureau of Supplies Shoaib Bokhari said that first class magistrates had powers of fining up to Rs30,000 and granting punishment for up to six months, and if powers of the magistrates had to be increased, it would consume more than a year, while the purpose of introducing the bill was to provide immediate relief to the people.

Besides, he said, a meeting has been summoned of all DCOs, EDOs and stakeholders on Saturday at 11am to ensure availability of flour, gram, gram flour and sugar at the fixed prices.

On the request and urgency of the enforcement of the law, Mr Jatoi did not insist on his amendment and withdrew it, allowing the bill to be passed into law.

Speaking on Government Bill No 4 of 2008, the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana Bill, the chief minister termed it an important step and said the masses would benefit from the bill in accordance with the promise made on the eve of the budget to upgrade all hospitals by extending medical facilities and providing them with proper equipment.

He said the proposed university would benefit the population of upper Sindh, which was ignored in the past. He said in the absence of modern treatment facilities and specialists, many patients died while being brought to Karachi from far-flung areas of the interior. He expressed thanks to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for endorsing the idea and all members of the house for supporting the bill.

Speaker Khuhro, after adoption of the bill, termed it a priceless gift to Larkana from the Sindh Assembly in the name of Benazir Bhutto.

A resolution introduced by Munawwar Ali Abbasi against the termination of services of 80,000 employees, including 30,000 from Sindh, of the National Commission for Human Development due to the refusal of the federal government to provide funds to the NCHD, an NGO, was withdrawn by the mover.

Anomalies in the resolution were pointed out during a brief discussion by Pir Mazharul Haq and the assurance was given by law minister Ayaz Soomro that he would find out the facts and background for the move from the federal government.

The resolution was withdrawn with the consent of the house.

The session, which was called to order at 11am, two hours behind schedule, with Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro in the chair, was prorogued at 2pm by reading out the order of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad.

Question hour

Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed stated that a resolution may be tabled in the Sindh Assembly that would require syringe cutters to be kept in every hospital ward to try and tackle what he termed the hepatitis “pandemic” in Sindh.

He was replying to questions about what was being done to control the spread of the dreaded disease in Sindh during question hour in Friday’s assembly session.

He also answered members’ queries about the spread of polio and problems related to snake-bite victims in the province during question hour.

When asked what was being done to create awareness about hepatitis, he said awareness was being raised through different forums and programmes, as well as advertisements in the print and electronic media.

When a legislator – pointing out that there were over three million hepatitis patients in Sindh – asked what could be done to help poor people get treatment for the disease, he said a large amount had been set aside, which would help address the problem.

In reply to a question asked by Culture and Tourism Minister Sassui Palejo, Dr Sagheer said blood screening for hepatitis had already begun in Badin, while it would soon start in Thatta.

When MPA Humera Alwani claimed that the vaccinators’ negligence had helped spread polio resulting in around 20 cases in Sindh, the health minister said that was not the case as there were 11 cases in Sindh and 28 countrywide recorded so far this year. He agreed that accountability was essential in making the anti-polio drive a success.

When an MPA asked what measures had been taken to keep polio vaccines cold when they were being transported, as they lose their efficacy if not kept at a certain temperature, Dr Sagheer said the vials had an indicator and if it had turned discoloured, it meant that the vaccine should not be used.

The health minister also disagreed with an MPA’s contention that the heads of international donor agencies were upset with the health department’s performance, saying that though they had some reservations, they were not upset. He added that polio still existed in Afghanistan and India, and extensive migration was preventing the complete eradication of the disease in Pakistan. He attributed the death of a boy in Sujawal from a snake-bite on May 16 to the negligence of the doctor and dispenser concerned.