Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh Tuesday said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had been converted into an anti-democracy party and it was on the verge of burial of democratic system. Addressing a press conference in the Sindh Assembly building, he said the way the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was conducting the assembly proceedings was an undeniable evidence of lack of democratic norms and traditions in the province where the opposition parties were denied their democratic rights and privileges specified under the Constitution and rules of business of the legislature.
Haleem Adil, who is also Central Vice President of PTI, said entrusting chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee to opposition leader was an important point of charter of democracy that was envisioned by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
He said Syed Khursheed Shah and Shahbaz Sharif held the position in capacity of the then opposition leaders in National Assembly while Rana Tanveer Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz was incumbent head of the committee. Contrary to agreed principal and practice at the national level, the PPP in Sindh not only declined opposition leader’s appointment as PAC head, but also did not include even a single member from opposition benches in the committee having statuary role of parliamentary oversight and accountability, he complained
He asserted that the move was aimed at clearing under the carpet several audit objections amounting to over Rs.1400 billion by auditor general’s office.
“If you do not like to see Haleem Adil Sheikh chairing the PAC, name any other opposition legislator for the post or at least ensure opposition’s representation in the committee even as members,” Haleem remarked adding that PTI was not in quest of personal gains but intended to see the statuary forums work as per rule and regulations for benefit of the masses.
Moreover, rules also required proportional representation of all the parliamentary parties in standing committees and Bilawal Zardari, Sherry Rehman and other parliamentarian of opposition parties were designated chairpersons of different parliamentary committees in National Assembly and Senate but in Sindh Assembly all the standing committees lacking opposition’s representation, he noted.
“It demonstrates double standards of PPP leadership who boasts of democratic norms in the center but as soon as they land at Karachi airport their approach converts into authoritarian one that proves them remnants of Iskander Mirza and Ayoub Khan,” he remarked.
