I must maintain dignity of office: Sindh PA speaker

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Speaker of Sindh assembly, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, said on Tuesday he would maintain the dignity and decorum of the office of the speaker, as it was a semi-judicial institution.

Talking to journalists after the assembly session, he said all members were bound to respect the office of the speaker and must not drag it in tussle between the government and the opposition.

He said he was left with no option but to adjourn the session after Murad Ali Shah adopted a highly unbecoming behaviour and did not leave the house despite his orders under rules 197 of the rules of the assembly. Asked why he did not adjourn the session for a brief period of 15-30 minutes, he said resumption of the session could have worsened the situation.

Asked why he did not adopt a strict line to keep the house in order and to prevent members from turning rowdy, Shah said he had issued 20-25 warnings to assembly members. “I had been adopting soft attitude because many of the members have been elected to the assembly for the first time and naturally they would take some time to learn. More than that I don’t want to spoil the atmosphere of the house. But there is a limit to every thing, and now they have crossed all limits,” he said. Answering a question about the routine delay in the start of session, Shah said he could do nothing about it, as he could not preside over session without quorum.

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