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Friday, March 01, 2013
SA passes Jinnah medical varsity bill amid MQM protestKARACHI: Sindh Assembly on Thursday passed the Jinnah Sindh Medical University Bill amid protest from opposition parties – Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and National People’s Party (NPP) – who grumbled to the treasury benches for bringing the bill in hurry and without their consultation.
Sindh Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro tabled the bill. The bill was passed unanimously as the MQM and NPP members staged walkout and were not present in the house when it was being passed. Opposition’s PML-F and PML-likeminded members, however, supported the bill. Later talking to the media persons, MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed said his party was not against establishment of universities in the province but it protested on the way the government adopted while presenting the bill in the house. He said that the bill was brought in hurry and without proper consultation with the parties having representation on the provincial legislative house. Provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon termed the MQM-NPP protest unjustified and uncalled for. He said people faced problems with decisions of university syndicates in the past regarding admission policies. Therefore, he added, the provincial government had been empowered to finalise admission policy of Jinnah Sindh Medical University Bill.
He said that the management of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University would be under the chief minister Sindh, similar to the Dawood Engineering University for promoting provincial autonomy under 18th Constitutional Amendment. He said that syndicates should have powers to take decisions in private universities but issues of public sector universities were different to them. The minister said that present democratic government had formed network of the universities in Sindh as many cadet colleges and universities had been established that no other government did in the past. He rejected allegation that copies of the bill were placed at few seats in the house. Responding to a question, he said that the Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan worked as a bridge between PPP and MQM and he would approve this bill soon. Earlier the Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah announced not to curtail development funds of women lawmakers. Speaking on a privilege motion moved by a female lawmaker of the MQM, Heer Sohu, the chief minister assured that the government would release full development funds to female members. razzak abro
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk