KARACHI, April 1: The government has taken all necessary preventive measures for ensuring peaceful atmosphere in the city and check miscreants from disturbing routine life in the city which included visible deployment of law enforcement personnel at vintage points and patrolling of rangers and police and monitoring availability of transport at terminuses.
Sindh Home Minister Rauf Ahmad Siddiqui, talking to Dawn on Friday night, said the MMA’s call for a wheel-jam strike was uncalled for as the opposition and media had full freedom of expression. Besides, assemblies’ forum was available to them to raise voice on pressing issues of people and present solution, but their two-and-a-half year record was a proof that they failed to take up any issue of the public interest at appropriate forums and remained more engaged in raising non-issues.
He said the government had allowed the opposition to hold rallies and public meetings to express their point of view without any restriction on freedom of expression. What was the logic for calling a wheel-jam strike in the country, he asked?
Highlighting some of the measures taken by the government to check miscreants from indulging in anti-state activities and forcing people through building pressure to join the strike, he said: “As a result of the measures taken by the government, the transporters have been assured full protection by the authorities. The transporters have also given an assurance to the government that they would ply vehicles.
The law enforcement personnel would be deployed on all terminuses and bus points so that commuters could take their points to reach their workplaces without any hardship.
In reply to a question, the home minister said that the government functionaries would have to ensure their presence in offices in all circumstances and in case of absence, their non-attendance to the office would be taken as their participation in the strike.
He reiterated the warning that anyone found damaging private or public property would be treated as a national criminal
Likewise, all shopping malls, shopping centres and markets in the city had been provided full security; they would not face any traffic problem.
The representatives of business associations and traders had assured the government of their full cooperation by keeping their businesses open.
To another question, the home minister said the call for a wheel-jam strike was a heinous conspiracy to harm economy of the country.
He asked the MMA why it did not attempt to bring down prices and check unemployment in the NWFP where MMA was in full power.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that a circular had been issued from the Sindh Secretariat to all government functionaries directing them to ensure their attendance in offices, and disciplinary action would be taken against those found absent from the duty.
The employees have been informed that all 24 points would be operational who were provided necessary protection. However, there was resentment among office-bearers of the Sindh Employees (Non-gazetted)Welfare Association, who were responsible for operating point buses. On a previous strike, one point bus was fired upon, but so far no action has been taken, it is learnt.
