PESHAWAR, July 3: The NWFP Assembly, through unanimously adopted resolutions on Tuesday, demanded of the federal government to ban the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for “unleashing a reign of terror in an effort to sabotage the May 12 visit to Karachi of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry”.
Bashir Ahmed Bilour of the Awami National Party and Shagufta Naz of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal tabled identical resolutions one after the other in the house which condemned the “killing of innocent people by MQM activists in Karachi”.
Mr Bilour, who opposed the idea of sharing a resolution with an MMA legislator, said it was unfair on the part of the treasury benches to hijack the opposition’s resolution.
He was of the opinion that whenever he tabled a resolution on any burning issue, the MMA tried to hijack it. He proposed that the MMA lawmaker table her resolution separately.
Mr Bilour criticised the MQM for “turning Karachi into a no-go area on May 12 for the Chief Justice of Pakistan, his counsel and the political parties fighting for restoration of democracy in the country.
Speaking on her resolution that was supported, among others, by Nargis Zain, Aftab Shabbir, Fauzia Farrukh and Zubaida Khatoon, Ms Naz demanded of the government to declare the MQM a terrorist organisation and to ban it.
She urged the federal government to talk to the British government on the “terrorist activities of MQM chief Altaf Hussain” and seek his early extradition.
She claimed that the MQM activists had killed over 38 innocent people in Karachi on May 12. She said it was the duty of democratic forces to get the MQM banned for its controversial tactics.
The house also adopted a resolution moved by Qazi Mohammad Asad Khan, on behalf of Israrullah Khan Gandapur, about withdrawing the condition of matriculation qualification for union council nazims in the next local bodies elections.
The assembly adopted the resolution by a majority vote as half of the MMA lawmakers did not support it.
The house also adopted 15 other resolutions presented by Javed Mohmand, Khalid Waqar Khan, Dr Zakir Shah, Fareed Khan, Fazle Rabbani, Abdullah Bangash, Maulana Nizamuddin, Shagufta Naz and Zubaida Khatoon of the MMA, Abdul Akbar Khan and Mazhar Jamil Alizai of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Zar Gul Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Israrullah Khan Gandapur and Alamzeb Khan Umerzai of the PPP (Sherpao) and Bashir Ahmed Bilour of the ANP regarding extension in the voters’ registration date, establishment of a cadet college in Peshawar, shifting of the army supply depot outside Peshawar city, removal of cigarette hoardings outside prisons, police stations and other state buildings, linking of Hari Chand Wapda sub-division with Mardan, stoppage of undeclared loadshedding in Tall and Hangu, construction of a highway from Landakay to Bagh Dheri in Swat, 20 per cent decrease in oil prices, increase in Umrah flights (three flights per week) during Ramadan from Peshawar, restoration of Air Force recruitment centre in Dera Ismail Khan, provision of natural gas connection to the people of Kaladhaka, removing the condition of matriculation certificate for union council nazim, verification of ID cards from the Intelligence Bureau, rather than army vigilance teams and promotion of Grade-21 police officials from the NWFP to Grade-22.
On a point of order Qazi Asad drew the attention of the house towards the “fraudulent transfer” of the land of the Regional Institute of Teachers Education in the name of a person in Haripur.
He said the Peshawar City District Government had forced revenue officials to transfer the land in the name of a shadowy person.
He characterised the move as a “robbery of state land” about which the MMA government had been silent.
Education Minister Maulana Fazle Ali assured Mr Asad that the education department would not allow the land mafia to encroach upon the RITE’s land.
The house also referred three privilege motions presented by Dr Zakirullah, Yasmin Khalid and Rukhsana Naz against the education department, EDO (Health) for Mansehra, and director of the Industrial Development Board to the concerned standing committees so that inquiries could be undertaken on issues of importance.
Mazhar Qasim Ali, Sardar Mohammad Ayub and Wajihuzzaman Khan drew the attention of the house towards the plight of earthquake-affected people in the Hazara region. Mr Qasim said several shops had been burnt in Balakot Bazaar on Monday.
He said the Wapda had yet not installed electric poles in the area.
Making his last speech, the speaker thanked lawmakers on both sides of the divide for their cooperation during the last four and a half years.
He said that during its 26 sessions, the assembly had adopted 55 bills, 343 resolutions, 62 privilege motions, 158 adjournment motions and 320 call attention notices and provided answers to 1,022 questions.
Later, the assembly’s budget session was prorogued by the NWFP Governor, Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai, added APP.
Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan read out the governor’s order, proroguing the assembly session for an indefinite period.
Before reading out the order, Mr Jehan praised the assembly’s role with regard to legislation.
He said working relations between treasury and opposition members had been cordial as they remained united on the issue of provincial rights. He said opposition parties had adopted the policy of constructive criticism, instead of criticism for the sake of criticism, and the treasury members had always given due consideration to proposals presented by the opposition.
The speaker thanked the chief minister for granting funds for the new assembly hall. He appreciated the role of the media people in reporting the assembly proceedings.
PESHAWAR, July 3: The NWFP Assembly, through unanimously adopted resolutions on Tuesday, demanded of the federal government to ban the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for “unleashing a reign of terror in an effort to sabotage the May 12 visit to Karachi of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry”.
