The convenor hastily adjourned the City Council session within five minutes of its resumption when the opposition tried to table a resolution condemning imposition of an "undeclared martial law" in the country.
Soon after the session was resumed, Saeed Ghani of Awam Dost panel and Abdul Razzak of Al-Khidmat group on point of order sought permission to table an anti-emergency resolution, but the convenor did not allow them. "I know what you people want to talk about; but let me make one thing very clear that this (city council) is a governmental institution and if you want it to remain unlocked don't try to discuss emergency in this house", he said.
This brought all opposition members on their feet and they started protesting against the convenor's remarks. "We need to keep focus on the civic problems, otherwise, I do adjourn this session till November 13 (Tuesday)", announced the convenor hastily amid a cheering desk-beating by the treasury members.
Opposition members started shouting anti-dictatorship, uniformed president and martial law slogans and left the house and gathered in the council's gallery.
The City Council general session with Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil in the chair was held in the Council Secretariat, Old KMC Building, M.A Jinnah road on Wednesday.
Earlier, the house had unanimously passed a condolence resolution on the death of Ahmed Maqsood Hameedi, former Chief Secretary, Sindh, and sister of Tajammul Hussain, Deputy District Officer, City District Government Karachi and offered "Fateha" for the deceased.
Later addressing a press conference on sidelines of the Council, Saeed Ghani, politically affiliated with Pakistan People's Party, read the opposition-backed resolution before media persons. The resolution strongly condemned the chief of army staff for declaring "undeclared martial law" in the name of emergency in the country.
The document criticised the military ruler for suspending the constitution, issuing the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), sacking and detaining the top judges, putting curbs on media, launching arresting and manhandling of the lawyers, political leaders and activists and journalists.
The government is harassing the journalists by raiding offices of the various newspapers and television channels, which has proved its tall claims of media freedom as baseless, it said. People had started believing in the independence and real power of the judiciary but this situation (emergency) had once again undermined position of the judiciary, the document lamented.
Terming the emergency a conspiracy against the country and democratic norms the resolution demanded restoration of 1973 constitution, giving the judiciary the pre-emergency status, lifting ban on media freedom, release of the arrested journalists, lawyers and political activists, reconstitution of the Election Commission and issuing the polls' schedule under an impartial interim government. The resolution also paid rich tribute to those judges who had refused to take oath under PCO.
Calling the convenor's behaviour as deplorable, Ghani said "we must discuss civic problems in the house but the emergency had denied the masses of their fundamental rights, which is an issue not irrelevant to the council".
He said behaviour of the Haq Parast group in the house was not compatible to the post-emergency statements of Altaf Hussain. "Altaf Hussain had not only deplored the imposition of emergency but demanded early restoration of the status quo but the convenor did contrary to it", he claimed.
He also slammed President Musharraf for his statement directed at the West that Islamabad could not give such rights to its people which are entertained by the Westerners.
"It depicts that Pakistanis are the inferior people and are not worth to be entitled for such rights being entertained by the Western people. The statement has damaged our reputation world-wide" Abdul Razzak also criticised the leadership of MQM and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and others for making alliance with a "military dictator", who was bent upon prolonging his rule and had launched a "suicide attack" on the country's major institutions.
"We would soon get the people of Pakistan out of authoritarian rule of the military dictator", he resolved. Ramzan Awan from Saddar Town questioned why the police were raiding and arresting councillors in his town if, as per the convenor's saying, "we are part of the government?" Jumman Darwan called "Azaan" (call for prayer) for restoration of the democracy as a religious ritual, which is usually offered in rural areas during crisis times.
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