May 12 Karachi carnage: Senate for invoking Article 6 of the Constitution

The Senate on Thursday called for invoking Article 6 of the Constitution against General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf for violating the Constitution, recalling the May 12 Karachi carnage. A number of lawmakers, while speaking on points of order, also urged Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo moto notice of the bloodshed on May 12, 2007 in Karachi on the eve of his visit when he was sacked by the then dictator.
The senators recalled the day, declaring it as blackest day in Pakistan's history and demanded that the culprits involved in killings of more than 50 innocent people should be brought to justice. National Party's chief Hasil Bazenjo, while speaking, said that we should not forget the May 12 carnage otherwise people would be habitual of forgetting every sad incident and even May 2 raid by US forces in Abbottabad.
He said that the on the day when Karachi was blood bathed, Musharraf was 'showing his punch' in Islamabad with a similar way as Libyan President Colonel Gaddafi is doing against his own people. PPP's Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, while terming the May 12 as blackest day of the country's history, demanded of the government to invoke article 6 of the constitution against General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf for setting aside and violating the constitution.
"The most befitting way to pay tribute to May 12 martyrs, is to invoke Article 6 against the dictator," he said, adding that the Senate should call upon the government to formally trial Musharraf under the same article. Jamaat-i-Islami's Senator Professor Ibrahim regretted that four years have been passed since the Karachi carnage, but Supreme Court did not take notice. He was of the view that those who were involved in the May 12 incident were now enjoying power corridors in the centre as well as in Sindh province.
"The murderers are now sitting either in Governor House or have been given the portfolios in the federal cabinet", he said without naming anybody. He further said that the All Parties Conference held in London during the exile days of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had also fixed responsibilities on the elements behind the bloodshed.
ANP's Haji Adeel regretted that it was unfortunate that after restoration to his office, the Chief Justice even forgot the martyrs of May 12 incident who lost their lives for giving reception to him (CJ) in the city. He said that the nation could not forget the May 12 incident, adding those people who were responsible for the carnage, were now talking about democracy.
JI's Senator Professor Khurshid said that the entire nation knows the culprits involved in the killing of more than 50 people on the day, adding that justice could not be done until the people involved are punished under the law. PPP's Safdar Abbasi said that an enquiry should be conducted under the supervision of the Chief Justice of what he said terrorism of its unique kind. JUI-F's Khalid Soomro also demanded that investigation should be conducted into the May 12 incident and the culprits should be brought to justice.
Meanwhile, Senator Nelofar Bakhtair lashed out at those criticising the country's armed forces and intelligence agencies for Abbottabad incident. She said that the entire nation should support the armed forces that rendered countless sacrifices for giving peaceful future for the new generation. In her response, JI's Senator Professor Ibrahim said that the armed forces should work within their constitutional ambits.