KARACHI: MQM urges parties to devise code of conduct: Local bodies polls
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, June 22: Cautioning against the alleged conspiracy to derail the democratic dispensation by plunging the province, especially the metropolis into another phase of bloodbath, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has convened an all parties conference on July 3, to hammer out a code of conduct for the upcoming local government and other elections among all the political and religious parties for avoiding such a dreadful scenario.
The concern was articulated by Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convenor of the MQM and coordination committee and its parliamentary leader in the National Assembly in a news conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday. Dr Farooq Sattar was accompanied by Nasreen Jaleel, Mr Anwar Alam and Mr Shakil Umar.
“It is the responsibility of all political and religious parties to ensure that their activity remained non-violent and they adhered to the principle of live and let live,” said Dr Farooq Sattar.
He expressed concern over rumours and propaganda by some elements who had been claiming that law and order situation could become precarious during the local government elections. He said that like any patriot, the MQM was ready to hammer out a code of conduct with other political and religious parties to foil this conspiracy.
Although he did not identify as to who was behind such a diabolic conspiracy, Dr Farooq Sattar cited Quranic versus which clearly hinted at religious parties. He said the conspiracy was being hatched to stall the upcoming elections.
He reiterated MQM’s unconditional, unflinching commitment to peace and amity and keeping political process non-violent.
When a questioner asked him how he could expect to evolve any broad-based code of conduct when the student wings of the two political parties, who had had agreed to a code of conduct at the governor’s house, failed to act accordingly, the MQM leaders avoided any direct comment on the past accord and hoped this time when the elders meet, better sense would prevail and even the young ones would be part of that.
Asked to amplify on the proposed code of conduct, Nasreen Jaleel said that it could emphasise on non-inflammatory speeches and avoiding wall chalking etc. She said all those who would participate in the APC would have the right to give their own suggestion and at the end of the day a mutually acceptable code of conduct would be evolved.
To a question Dr Farooq Sattar said although local government elections were held on non-party basis, the political parties cannot remain aloof from any electoral process.
Every political party had an agenda, an ideology and they try to advance their cause by supporting people who conformed to their point of view. He said that despite being part of the ruling coalition, it would not be something out of the blue on part of the MQM.
Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain has called upon the womenfolk to support his party whole-heartedy for the attainment of their rights, and appealed to them to turn up in a record number at the June 25 women convention at Nishtar Park.—PPI
