Karachi: January 27:The University of Karachi has become a “no-go area” for Sindhi students. This was stated by a provincial minister, Rafiq Engineer, during a session of the Sindh Assembly on Thursday.

He said students from Lyari were also being discriminated against in the educational institutions of the city. MQM’s Faisal Sabzwari said the House should not be used for running an “election campaign”.

He said every institution had its own policy. Sabzwari pointed out that a university had been established in Lyari, and it too had a particular admission policy. The House also witnessed a heated debate over a resolution of PPP’s minority MPA pertaining to implementation of uniform education system in the province.

The debate ensued when the mover, Saleem Khurshid Khokhar, said pupils studying in “Peelay (government)” schools became clerks and office assistants while those studying in private English medium schools got lucrative jobs.

MQM’s provincial minister Syed Sardar Ahmed took exception to such remarks and observed that many notables in different fields had studied in government schools.

When Shazia Marri suggested that no MPA should bring any resolution or bill without proper research and asked that the mover should explain where his children were studying.

It angered Khokhar who said the minister had become “personal”. In a fit of anger he made certain remarks and asked as to whether before moving the resolution, it was necessary to demonstrate profile of one’s children.

Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro pacified the situation by persuading Khokhar to offer an apology for his remarks. On the suggestion of finance minister Murad Ali Shah, Saleem Khokhar withdrew his resolution to move the same in the next session after removing “deficiencies” from it.

Meanwhile, the PA referred an adjournment motion of Saleem Khokhar to the standing committee on education. Khokhar also introduced a private bill for protection of religious minorities’ properties.

The PA also unanimously passed a private resolution moved by Muhammad Adil Khan, urging the provincial government to approach federal government to direct multinational coal exploration companies to recruit local people and ensure uplift schemes in the areas.

The PA referred Khalid Ahmed’s resolution to standing committee on transport pertaining to provision of concessionary travel scheme for senior citizens. The MPAs unanimously passed a resolution moved by Anwar Mahar, urging the Sindh government to ensure drinking water in New Pind, Micro Colony and Islam Colony of Sukkur.The news.