Mazar-e-Quaid's premises: Senate body for mechanism to ban rallies, political gatherings

The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Integration on Wednesday stressed that a workable mechanism should be devised to ban holding of political gathering /rallies at the premises of Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum in Karachi. The committee, which met here with Senator Shirala Malik in the chair, was briefed about Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB), security measures and repair/ renovation of the mausoleum.
During the meeting, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Integration Pervez Rashid suggested that legislation should be done for banning political gathering/rallies at the mausoleum. He said that issue of political gathering should be resolved through political wisdom, suggesting that a bill should be moved in the National Assembly to give legal protection to the mausoleum's area.
Pervez Rashid said that the committee has no mandate to impose ban on political gathering/rallies at the Mazar, but it can direct the mausoleum's authority to take measures for the beautification of the Mazar. He said that it was the mandate of local authority to grant permission or stop political parties from holding gathering or rallies at the Mazar.
Joint Secretary National Heritage and Integration, Muhammad Bilal informed the committee that a project of Pakistan Park in the peripheral area of Mausoleum amounting Rs 2.217 billion have been submitted to Planning Commission for consideration, adding that the project is likely to be completed in two years after its approval by the competent authority.
He said that Rs 80.605 million, including Rs 45.714 million government's grant were received in financial year 2012-13. Bilal said that at the inner cordon armed contingent of 3 forces --Army, Navy and Air Force were deployed and a Quick Response Force (QRF) also remained present at Military Guard Barrack in the peripheral area of Mazar. At outer Cordon two pickets of Sindh Rangers had been established within the Mazar area, he added. He said that as many as 65 private security guards were also deployed at the mausoleum.
About the composition of QMMB, he said that the board comprises four Ex-Officio members one from each province and seven officio members, adding that Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting & National Heritage is the chairman while secretary of the Ministry is a Member/honorary secretary of the QMMB.
He said that the government had allocated Rs 45.714 million budgetary grant to the mausoleum in last financial year. Member committee, Senator Najma Hameed said that it was necessary to ban all political gathering/rallies at Mazar to restore the dignity the mausoleum.