KARACHI: The MQM-Pakistan on Friday rattled the Sindh Assembly with questions over soaring street crimes in Karachi, as treasury recalled the vicious cycle of target killings of the past.
The sitting widely remained chaotic with members from the opposition and treasury verbally attacked each other over the continuing street crimes and the violence of past decades in Karachi.
MQM-P legislators were holding portraits of those, whom they said, were killed in armed robberies in the megacity. Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah also intervened to have MQM-P members settle down to help continue the session uninterrupted, but failed.
Ali Khurshidi of the MQM, who is the opposition leader in the house, raised his point of order about the street crimes during the questions and answers session, which Speaker, Syed Awais Qadir Shah disallowed, advising him to talk on the issue after the house completes its daily agenda.
However, the MQM’s other lawmakers were also standing on the flour of the house in a bid to pressure Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, the Sindh Home Minister, who was responding to the questions from either side of the assembly.
Female legislator of the MQM, Qurat Ul Ain Khan said that robbers are killing citizens on a daily basis in the megacity after robbing them of cash and mobile phones. “Educated youth is being killed,” she added.
Lanjar expressed his sorry over the killings in street crimes, saying that the government will continue its support to the bereaved families to whatever extend it could do. “The government is fulfilling its responsibility,” he claimed.
The house turned chaotic with the MQM member rising from their seats while the minister was replying to a question by Sadia Javed of the ruling PPP, that it is no longer a May-12 like situation. He said that he has got target killers arrested and ended extortion.
After the MQM’s criticism over the police for its failure to stem violence, he said: “I will not tolerate humiliation of my policemen”. He recalled the violence in the city over the past decades, telling the house that “there used be torture cells in Karachi”.
Marvi Rashdi of the PPP also indirectly slammed the MQM for its “non serious” attitude in the house, reminding the legislature of horror-mongers such as Saulat Mirza and Ajmal Pahari. She said that everyone knows which party these target killers were associated with.
MQM’s lady lawmaker, Bilqees Mukhtar asked the minister about infamous Rehman decoit, Uzair Baloch and the Lyari Peace Committee.
The minister called Rehman a “murderer”, whom he said, was killed by police while Uzair is in jail on several charges.
Amid the noisy sitting, MQM members walked out of the house. Meantime, the speaker approved an adjournment motion on gas outages in Sindh for a debate tabled by Heer Ismail Soho of the PPP.
The speaker referred “The Saifee Burhani University Bill 2024,” to the assembly concerned committee for a deliberation and ruled the house stands adjourned till Monday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024