PTI To Challenge Sindh's COVID-19 Relief Ordinance In Court

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will challenge the recently passed Sindh Covid-19 Emergency Relief Ordinance, 2020 in the court, on the basis of provincial governments not being allowed to make laws for the institutions that fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, reported The News.

The Sindh Assembly in a meeting on Monday approved the Sindh COVID-19 Emergency Relief Ordinance, 2020.

In response, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, said the ordinance “is against the principles of justice”.

“The Sindh government has approved the ordinance just to attract praise. However, it is very difficult to implement it in practice,” said Naqvi, a PTI central leader.

Naqvi said that such a legislature has been passed for the first time, and according to the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Ordinance, some relief and discounts are to be provided in electricity bills and gas consumption.

“How can a provincial government make decisions regarding the institutions that fall under the federal government,” Naqvi asked. He said the provincial government could not decide concessions and deductions in the utility bills of electricity and gas.

“Through this type of legislation, 80 per cent of the federation would be affected,” he said. Naqvi said his party condemned the ordinance and would challenge it in the court.