KARACHI - Sindh Assembly on Thursday rejected a private resolution for reserving at least 33 per cent jobs for women in provincial and Federal govt departments and allowed a mover to withdraw the resolution regarding NFC Award. Opposition PML (F) member Nusrat Bano Sehar Abbasi moved a private resolution which says,'this Assembly is of the opinion and recommends to the govt of Sindh to approach the Federal govt to reserve at least 33 per cent job opportunities for the female workers in each departments/institutions under administrative control of Federal govt as well as provincial government'. Supporting her resolution, Nusrat Abbasi said that secret behind the developed countries was that they had given 50 per cent representation to female in all sectors but in Pakistan, which was created in the name of Islam, women were not given jobs according to the proportionate percentage of population of female. She said that history showed that women had remained in the forefront with men and played important role, adding, that mother of nation Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Begum Rana Liaquat Ali and others played their due role for independence of our motherland. She said that huge number of women working in different factories were supporting their male family members while in many cases women were sole bread earners of their families. She said that since it was male dominated society so these working women were not only facing harassment at working place, but discriminatory treatments were being meted out to them at various places. Nusrat Abbasi said there was no denying the fact that PPP was one of the biggest party, which had struggled under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto and believes in empowerment of women. She hoped that her resolution would be passed. Sindh Minister Shoaib Bukhari said that this govt believed in the empowerment of women which was manifested in the election of a woman as Speaker of National Assembly, Deputy Speaker Provincial Assembly besides a number of women ministers were actively serving the masses. He said that there were several women judges working in Sindh High Court and five lady doctors were heading important departments in Civil Hospital Karachi. Sindh Minister for Information Shazia Marri said that womenfolk of Pakistan were much more politically aware than the female of developed countries like US and UK, adding, that there was no quota system in Europe or West. She said she did not differentiate that her responsibilities were different than that of male and she believed only in merit, thus the issue of employment could be resolved through merit. She said that PPP believes in equality and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had struggled for empowerment of female that is why the party always work to bring women folk at par with the male. She said it would be degradation on the part of women if they were restricted to certain percentage. There should be system of merit so that more and more competent female could get jobs by proving their metal, she stressed. Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, PPP lawmakers Pir Bachal Shah, Rashida Panhwar, Opposition members Rafique Bhamban and Arif Jatoi expressed their views on the resolution. After detailed discussion, Speaker Nisar Khuhro put the resolution to the House which was rejected. PPP legislator from Thatta Mrs. Humera Alwani tabled a private resolution which reads,'this Assembly resolves and recommends to the govt of Sindh to approach the Federal govt to demand for revenue generation as one of the criteria for resource distribution in the 6th NFC Award and announce it as soon as possible'. Arguing in support of her resolution, Humera Alwani said that since the NFC Award remained a sensitive issue, which should be announced every five years but no award was announced despite lapse of 10 years, as the 5th NFC was announced in 1997 that too by an interim govt. She said that Sindh contributed lion's share to the national kitty but in return it got peanuts. She said that province was facing serious crisis and it needed funds for number of development works, so that the provincial govt should pursue the case to the Federal govt. Sindh Minister and MQM Parliamentary party leader Syed Sardar Ahmed said that the issue of NFC Award may not be treated casually as it needed thorough discussions. It is an important subject which needed threadbare debate so the mover should withdraw the resolution, he added. He said there was a need for amendment in certain clause of the Constitution. He said that the National Finance Commission should be independent for which they were striving. Upon which, the PPP legislator from Thatta said that it was her discretion to withdraw the resolution or not. Sindh Minister for Revenue Murad Ali Shah informed that NFC has been constituted. He said it was part of PPP's manifesto so we were bound by our manifesto. MQM has also talked about multiple criteria for resource distribution, he said. Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro assured his party colleagues that the NFC issue would be taken in the next session. However, she was adamant that her name was included among the movers. However, after insistence from Minister, Mrs. Alwani moved motion for withdrawal of her resolution. After that Speaker Nisar Khuhro adjourned the house till Friday morning. Earlier, the House, which set in motion with delay of two hours beyond the scheduled time, took up question hours and some point of orders.