KARACHI, May 3: Opposition groups in the City Council have decided to file a petition in the Sindh High Court for protection against a threat to the lives of opposition councillors from certain treasury members.

Rafiq Ahmed of the Al-Khidmat Group told Dawn that the decision had been taken jointly by the Al-Khidmat, Al-Khadim and Awam Dost groups at an emergency meeting held here on Thursday to discuss the incident of hooliganism and manhandling of opposition councillors during the proceedings of the house on April 26.

Mr Ahmed said that the opposition councillors were under a constant threat of being intimidated, harassed and even manhandled by the rowdy group of councillors belonging to the treasury.

He said that the opposition groups had also decided to inform the National and Provincial Assemblies, Sindh Bar Council, foreign missions and other forums about the unbecoming conduct of treasury members in the City Council.

He further stated that the groups had planned convening a meeting of all opposition councillors of town and union councils next week to discuss the issue with them and formulate a joint strategy to deal with the situation.

He said a rally would also be taken out next week from the Karachi Press Club to the City Council to protest against the treasury members’ resort to the use of force, subjecting opposition members to physical assault and using abusive language in the house which, he said, was against all norms of parliamentary conduct and democratic values.