Government's 'seriousness' towards law, order questioned: rumpus hits Sindh Assembly proceedings

A brief rumpus hit the Sindh Assembly proceedings on Monday after opposition legislators questioned the government's seriousness in restoring peace in Karachi, as about 6,000 people have been killed in the last five years in the city. Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F), Rana Abdul Sattar while paying tribute to Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) former legislator - Manzar Imam who was shot dead last month, held the bad law and order responsible for the continued killings in Karachi.
Showing concerns, he said being members of the provincial assembly it was the responsibility of every sitting lawmaker to protect the life of citizens. He said the government and MPAs should make efforts to stem violence as people are killed daily. He suggested the government should work jointly with civil society to improve the peace. "Without participation of civil society, the law and order cannot improve," he warned.
Enough prayers have been offered to the departed souls, he said, adding that "just one month left for the incumbent assembly to do something at least to protect the lives of citizens.
Rana Sattar maintained that the government should remove the criminals from the province and eliminate all illegal weapons to let the peace a chance to take place. He gave an example of rural Sindh where, according to him, the civil society's initiative against the dacoits succeeded and many areas are now free from robbery and crime. His straight remarks stirred Sindh Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister to react, which caused a rumpus in the mourning session for a while, saying "if he [Rana Sattar] wants to make a speech then he do it in his locality not here,"
Sattar also raised concerns over the public plight, which he felt, is a question from the voters that the politicians will receive during their election drives in their constituencies. He said people voted the government and opposition members for their resolution of problems. "At least we should protect the citizens," he said.
Earlier, leader of PML-F in Sindh Assembly - Nusrat Sehar Abbasi showed her concerns over the growing law and order in the provincial capital. She said: "Some 6000 people have been killed in the last five years," she said. She asked the government to step up its serious efforts to stem unrest and protect the public life and property. "The government needs to improve the situation otherwise the killings will continue," she added.
Paying tribute to the slain party member, lawmakers of MQM asked the government to improve the situation in the metropolis. Sindh Auqaf Minister, Haseeb Khan believed the terrorists slain him because he was a steadfast activist against terrorism and wanted Pakistan to prosper.
He sought prayers from the nation to offer them for all those who have been killed in political, sectarian or ethnic violence. He vowed the MQM will continue its efforts to end terror from the country. Earlier, Ayaz Soomro opened the mourning session of assembly with a tribute to the former lawmaker of MQM, saying Manzar Imam, spent five years with him in the same house, was a candid person with a sober personality.
He invited the members to offer prayers for the departed soul and requested the deputy speaker, Shehla Raza who chaired the house to confine the house proceeding to tributes and pass the legislations to the next sitting on Wednesday. PPP's Rafiq Engineer, Mehtab Dahar, Anwar Mehar, Khursheed Khokhar, Nadeem Bhutto, Akhtar Jadoon, Bachal Shah, Agha Siraj Durrani, MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Syed Faisal Sabzwari, Heer Ismail Soho, ANP's Amir Nawab, PML-F's Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and others spoke in the mourning session.
The house also paid tributes to the former Jamaat-i-Islami chief, late Qazi Hussain Ahmed, senior leader of JI, Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, ANP's assassinated leader, Bashir Bilour, late Sindhi intellectual, Sirajul Haq Memon, former CM Balochistan, Jam Yousuf, victims of Quetta and Swat blasts, besides those killed in sectarian violence in Karachi, including three religious scholars.
Shehla Raza also announced the panel of four lawmakers who may chair the house in the absence of deputy speaker and speaker includes Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Shama Arif Mithani, Khalid bin Wilayat, and Shaharyar Mehar. A newly-elected provincial lawmaker from Naushero Feroz - Syed Sarfaraz Shah took oath to become member of the assembly, which deputy speaker administered.