KARACHI The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday took about an hour to pass three important bills amidst noise and commotion created by MQM legislators who were told that they would not be given seats on the opposition benches as their resignations have not been accepted. This was the worst ever rumpus witnessed in the present tenure of the assembly in the post MQM resignation scenario. Deputy Speaker Ms Shehla Raza, who chaired the session as the Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro is acting as Governor, ignored the demands of the MQM lawmakers who gathered in front of rostrum, asking to be told whether or not they have been allotted seats on the opposition benches. She told them that neither their resignations have been accepted nor they have been allotted seats on the benches. The MQM MPs denied sitting on the seats and kept on standing in protest, shouting and raising slogans due to which the proceedings of the house were not clearly audible. They also tore off copies of the bills and threw the pieces in the air. Jam Madad Ali, who was present in the house, submitted a letter with the speaker in which he had declared that now he had joined the treasury benches. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah kept sitting in his seat, watching the noisy ruckus. The MQM legislators demanded the government accept their resignations, which they had tendered a week ago. When the chair asked the members to sit on their seats, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari demanded the speaker to identify their seats. He said that the office of the speaker should be impartial. We are the elected representatives and it is our right that we should be informed about our seats, he argued. The chair again informed the MQM members that the resignations of MQM ministers were yet to be accepted. At this Mr Sabzwari repeated we are no more ministers as we have submitted our resignation to the office of the governor and now we are in opposition. Paying no attention to what the MQM lawmakers were saying, the speaker continued the proceedings and announced the names of members of penal of chairmen, including the name of Ms Naheed Begum of MQM, which created further stir in the house. After consulting the assembly secretary, the chair quoted Rule 5 from Rules of Business and ruled that the MQM members should sit on seats where they previously sat. She said the chair would determine the seating arrangement after the opposition leader submitted his letter. Jam Madad Ali, who was sitting on the seat of the Opposition Leader, immediately submitted the letter to the chair. Finding no way out of the situation, Ms Shehla declared that it was a technical matter that needed procedural formalities and called for question hour to begin. Amidst ear deafening slogans raised by the irritated MQM members, the entire question hour was carried through in ten minutes. Neither the revenue minister presented any reply to the questions of the members, nor was any supplementary question asked by the members. In between the raucous, the chair invited the PPP member Nadeem Bhutto to move the adjournment motion. The member submitted that his motion may be enlisted in the next sitting of session because he did not feel well, which the chair allowed. Ignoring the rumpus, the chair invited the law minister Ayaz Soomro to table the controversial government bill The Sindh (Repeal of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001 and Revival of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 1979) Bill, 2011. The noise was so loud that law minister had to use an extra microphone. Making statement of objects and reasons, the law minister said that the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2011 was promulgated during the unelected government without taking into confidence the political parties and general public at large. The local government system introduced through the Local Government Ordinance, 1979 was a time-tested law and had reduced the sufferings of the public at large. The Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001 instead of improving the local government system has deteriorated the writ of the provincial government and created discrimination amongst the masses, it is expedient to repeal the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001 and revive the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 1979, in its original position as it stood on August 5, 2001, he added. No other member spoke on the bill and it was approved amidst thunderous noise by protesting MQM members and applause by the treasury. It looked as if there was a noise making contest between treasury and the MQM. Subsequently, the law minister piloted-The Sindh (Repeal of the Police Order, 2002 and revival of the Police Act, 1861) Bill, 2011. In his statement and objects and reasons, the minister stated that the Police Act, 1861, was a very elaborate police law but it was repealed and the Police Order, 2002 was promulgated during the unelected government without taking into confidence the political parties and general public at large. Instead of improving the working of police, it has deteriorated and created serious problems for the general public, therefore, it is expedient in the public interest to repeal the police Order, 2002 and revive the Police Act, 1861 in its original position as it stood on 13th August, 2002. The bill was passed after the chair put in into the house. Similarly, the minister moved The Sindh Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2011. The minister stated: The present political government has observed that the original system of revenue department relating to the functions of revenue officers, was abolished through the unelected government without taking into confidence the political parties and the public at large, which has seriously affected the work of the revenue department and has created serious problems for the general public, therefore, it is expedient in the public interest to revive the original system of the revenue department and make suitable amendments in the Sindh Land Revenue Act, 1967. The bill was passed amidst ruckus when the chair put it into the house without any debate. Earlier, the chair made an announcement of assent to 10 bills which included, The Sindh Sales Tax on Service Bill, 2011, The Protection of Human Rights Bill, 2011, The Sindh Child Protection Authority Bill, 2011, The Sindh Travel Agencies Bill, 2011, The Sindh Criminal Prosecution Service (Constitution, Function and Powers)( Amendment) Bill, 2011, The Sindh Civil Servants (Regularisation of Absorption) Bill, 2011, The Sindh Financial Management and Accountability Bill, 2011, The Sindh Tourists Guide Bill, 2011, The Thar Coal and Energy Board Bill, 2011 and The Zulfikarabad Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2001. The law minister tabled the Government Bill No. 6 of 2009-A to further amend the Sindh Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Ordinance, 1972, which was passed by the provincial assembly in its sitting held on August 13, 2008 and was submitted to the governor for assent. The governor returned the bill to the provincial assembly with message and request. The house rejected the message and made the chief minister the controlling authority. The house finished the entire order of the day in one hour and was adjourned till 22 July. Addressing a press conference outside the Sindh Assembly, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari strongly criticised the PPP government, saying it wanted to create hatred and divide the people of Karachi, Hyderabad and the rest of the province. He said it is the duty of the government to unite the people rather than divide them, alleging that the new legislation would create divisions. He said they in their capacity of being representatives of 270,000 people reject the new laws. He accused that the PPP was reintroducing the laws imposed by a dictator, General Ziaul Haq, which were opposed by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as reflected by the PPP manifesto. Faisal Sabzwari said they do not want to repeat the scenes witnessed by the assembly from 2002 to 2007 when people were beaten and thrashed inside the house, but if forced, they were ready for even that. Dont push us to the wall and instead read the wring on the wall, Sabzwari warned the PPP. The MQM leader said they were prevented from speaking about the killings in Karachi during the session, which was requisitioned by the party as they wanted to expose those who pinpointed and killed their workers. He blamed that the gangsters were moving in the cars of the provincial ministers and they were being given protection by the government.