KARACHI - The Sindh Assembly on Thursday witnessed a flip-flop of the ruling PPP as it took up the ‘Lyari and Malir Development Authorities’ Revival and Amendment Bill’ for consideration after MQM lawmakers staged walkout in protest against killings of its workers in the city. Later, the assembly deferred the bill when MQM MPAs came back in the House. The budget session of the Sindh Assembly, which started at 11.15am against schedule of 9.30am with Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in the chair, observed Fateha for deceased souls who killed in ongoing spree of targeted killings and attack on ‘Mohbat-e-Sindh’ Rally of nationalist parties.Later, MQM’s MPA Tahir Qureshi while speaking on point of order presented the scenario of violent acts in the city. He said that trade activities were halted due to fear of extortionists’ who have distributed chits for extortion in Pan Mandi, Garden and other areas. The traders who do not give extortion money, terrorists kidnapped them and later killed, MQM lawmaker said and claimed that presently at least 20 traders are kidnapped and under hostage of extortionists in Chakiwara area of Lyari. He further said that at least 83 workers of MQM had been killed since January 2012 in the city. MQM’s MPA referred recent operation in Lyari, in which hand grenade and other heavy weapons were recovered, questioning that how many culprits were arrested who are involved in crime.He said that not taking action and arrest of these culprits is proof that some strong ‘hands’ are behind them. He also questioned that ability of law enforcement agencies, which are getting billion of rupees from provincial exchequer but not controlled the crime. MQM lawmaker demanded arrest of killers of their workers and protection for traders in city.MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly and provincial minister for youth affairs’ department Faisal Sabzwari stood and announced walkout in protests against killings of their workers. He said that his party lawmakers drew the attention of authorities and staged walked out in protest in Senate and National Assembly also.Later, MQM lawmakers went out of the house in protest for about twenty minutes.In the meantime, the house took up question-hour which was pertained to agriculture department and disposed off it within fifteen minutes as mostly lawmakers didn’t ask supplementary questions.However, on the request of the Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, the house introduced two bill including Education City Bill 2012 and Sindh Coal Bill 2012. Later, the house took up the Lyari and Malir Development Authorities (Revival and Amendment) Bill 2009 for consideration. Soomro said that the Malir and Lyari Development Authorities, which were established during the first government in 1988 of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, aimed to initiate development projects in the Malir and Layari as these areas have been neglected.He said that when army dictator Pervez Musharraf introduced his local government system of nazims, the development authorities were also abolished without any justification and logic, which left stoppage of development works in suburbs of city. He, however, said the present peoples’ government now reviving these development authorities with some amendments.Referring to MQM, PPP lawmaker said that some friends may have objections over revival of Malir and Lyari Development Authorities, but we should revived for development of rural areas.‘The former city nazim had claimed that Rs300 billion were spent on development works in city but what had received to the rural areas of the Karachi, which still lacked of water and roads’ facilities’, he questioned. Abbasi emphasised his party that let them do if anyone gets angry with the revival of Lyari and Malir Development Authorities.Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of PML-F also supported the bill. She termed the revival of Malir and Lyari Development Authorities need of hour as these areas were deprived of basic facilities.PPP leader and provincial minister for inter-provincial coordination department Makhdoom Jameel Zaman also highlighted the benefits of the revival of Malir and Lyari development authorities, saying that step will lead initiating of development schemes in the rural areas of city.When Makhdoom Jameel Zaman completed his speech on the bill, the MQM lawmakers ended their protest and came back in the house with provincial minister Zahid Bhrugari and Anwar Mahar of PPP who sent them by leadership.On the arrival of MQM lawmakers, the law minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro urged the chair to defer the consideration of the bill for today on Friday as local government minister was not present in the house as well as they also want to bring more amendments in the bill. The law minister’s flip-flop surprised the party lawmakers who spoke in favour of bill and urgency of revival of Malir and Lyari Development Authorities. After introducing in 2009, the Malir and Lyari development authorities’ revival bill has been pending since last three years due to difference of opinion of PPP and its ally, MQM on the issue. After disposing other agenda, the Speaker adjourned the session to meet again today on Friday at 9.30am.Meanwhile, some PPP members were of the opinion that after deferring, the consideration of this important bill may take long time due to opposition from MQM.