Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Sindh Assembly passes Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2013

Sindh Assembly (SA) session on Monday passed the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2013 prohibiting marriage of children below 18 years.The Bill has recommended three years rigorous imprisonment for those who would be involved in such marriages. However the punishment would not be less than two years. Sindh Minister for Social Welfare Rubina SadatQaimkhani earlier presented the Bill. Special committee of the House prepared draft of the Bill. It reviewed this and other private bill in its meetings.Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentarian Sharmila Farooqi presented the private bill. With the passing of new bill, Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 stands cancel in Sindh now.Rubina Qaimkhani termed it historical event for Sindh as the House has approved the highly important Bill.She thanked all parliamentary parties, civil society and organisations of women who supported the Bill.Parliamentary leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Syed Sardar Ahmed said implementation of law was necessary if we wanted to save young girls from injustice.Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Samar Ali Khan said he felt proud to be a member of the House who passed such an important Bill.
Pakistan Muslim League-N parliamentary leader Irfanullah Marwat said the House has passed the important Bill. However it was necessary to implement in its real spirit.Sindh senior Education and Literacy Minister NisarAhmed Khuhro said now nobody in Sindh would have courage to enforce someone’s child to get marry in violation of the Bill.Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon told the House for the next three months, all advertisements of Sindh government would carry the message about this Bill. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said representatives of civil society and legal experts were consulted for the draft of Bill.PPP MPA Nadir Magsi stressed the need to enforce the law. He said around 80 percent of underage marriages were not even reported. MPAs Sharmila Farooqi, Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Dr Seema Zia also praised the Bill.
Pakistan Muslim League (F) MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi tabled adjournment motion regarding copy cases in Sindh in examinations. However on getting rejected by the chair, opposition walked out from the House. Nisar Khuhro objected the word ‘copy culture.’ He said copy was not culture of Sindh. He said chief minister Sindh holds the authority of educational boards and CM has convened many meeting regarding the stoppage of unfair means in examinations.Sharjeel Memon told the House scarcity of water was not only Karachi’s problem, Sindh was also facing the same situation, he was replying at point of order by MQM’s MPA Saifuddin.Saifuudin told the House in Orangi Town, supporters of a religious political party attacked the water pumping houses. On this point Sharjeel said no one has authority to carry out such attacks. He said government was trying for equal distribution of water in Karachi.On call attention notice raised by MQM MPA Adnan Ahmed, Sharjeel said people of Sindh were braving hot weather and load shedding. He said ‘superman of centre’ Abid Sher Ali has started ordering disconnections of electricity in Sindh, which has enhanced the miseries of people.He said in rural areas of Sindh load shedding upto 16-hour was being carried out.
Crisis of water in Karachi started due to shortage of water in Hub Dam, however water supply was being started from Dhabeji pumping station.Talking to media person Nisar Khuhro appealed prime minister to take notice of 20 hours long load shedding in Sindh including Larkana. He said if shut down feeders were not made functional and unannounced load shedding was not stopped, the public representatives of Sindh along with masses would stage sit-in and protests in whole province.Khuhro said, “PML-N was taking revenge from PPP voters for not supporting party in May elections. Talking to media Samar Ali Khan said opposition parties in the House would nominate the candidate for opposition leader unanimously. Sindh Minister for Commerce and Industry Rauf Siddiqui said the objections on Karachi targeted operation would also be raised in future like we did in the past.

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