KARACHI: Opposition set to welcome CJ: Fears of face-off
Dawn Report
KARACHI, May 11: Opposition parties are set to give Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry a rousing reception when he lands in Karachi on Saturday, vowing to leap-frog government obstacles that may stand in the way.
Sindh PPP chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, speaking at a hurriedly called press conference on Friday at Bilawal House, condemned the harassment of workers by the ruling coalition, especially the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
He said the reception camps set up by the opposition parties were being dismantled by the police and workers of the government’s allied party.
Flanked by PPP leaders Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Aftab Shaban Mirani, Taj Haider and Nafees Siddiqui, Mr Shah said that such brutal actions could not keep the PPP away from the struggle for democracy.
Despite all odds, the PPP leader said, the people of Karachi would accord a historic welcome to the CJ.
He said PPP workers would only gather at the airport and other places of reception, and would not attend the meeting of the bar.
The Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, said that the MQM had proved that it was the real party of the establishment.
PPP leaders also condemned firing on the residence of Munir A. Malik, lawyer for the chief justice, and termed it state terrorism.
They appealed to the people of Karachi to accord a grand reception to the CJ.
FASCIST TACTICS: The Karachi Coordination Committee of the Pakistan People’s Party noted with concern that the government and its coalition partner, the MQM, were applying fascistic tactics to perpetuate their rule.
The KCC, which met here with its Coordinator Aftab Shaban Mirani in the chair, said that a frightened regime seemed to be under siege and was in total confusion because they could see the writing on the wall.
The KCC meeting pointed out that the schedule of the CJ was announced two weeks in advance. Thus the rally announced by the MQM, scheduled for the same day, was tantamount to creating disruption.
The KCC made it clear that maintaining law and order was the sole responsibility of the regime.
ARD: ARD Secretary-General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra appealed to the citizens of Karachi to come out from their homes to extend an unprecedented reception to the CJ.
Addressing a press conference on Friday at the Karachi Press Club, Mr Jhagra said that wherever the CJ had visited so far, he had been given rousing receptions. The CJ’s visits to the NWFP and Punjab had written a new chapter in the history of the country, and he expressed his confidence that the CJ’s visit to Karachi would also add to this.
He said the Sindh government’s advice to the CJ to cancel his visit in view of the law and order situation was tantamount to conceding its failure. As such the government should resign forthwith, he added.
Pointing out that certain members of the treasury also did not approve of the show of strength by the ruling parties on the day of the CJ’s arrival in Karachi, he hoped hope that good sense would prevail and the ruling coalition would put off its rallies to some other day. He claimed it was inappropriate as not only the people of the city, but the majority of the people of Sindh had decided to accord a warm welcome to the CJ.
MMA: MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Secretary-General Maulana Fazlur Rehman, in a joint statement, said that Saturday’s welcome to the CJ would expose the rulers’ hollow claims of popularity and would prove to be a milestone towards the restoration of the constitution and democracy in the country.
TEHRIK-I-INSAF: TI Karachi chapter leaders Ashraf Qureshi, Subhan Ali, and Sindh President Zubair Khan condemned the arrest of their party workers and leaders, removing of party flags and camps and said that the government was using fascist tactics to harass the people and discourage them from welcoming the CJ. They said that the government was unnerved by the enthusiasm of the people, who were determined to accord a grand reception to the CJ.
JUP: Markazi Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan Deputy Secretary-General Tariq Mehboob said that processions of their party would start from different parts of the city and would converge at the party’s airport camp to welcome the CJ.
PASBAN: Pasban has also announced that their supporters would be present at the airport to accord a historic welcome to the CJ.
