KARACHI: Opposition slams arrest report of council leader
By Latif Baloch
KARACHI, Nov 15: The opposition benches in the City Council on Wednesday boycotted the proceedings of the house and staged a strong protest over what they claimed was the issuance of an arrest warrant under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance for Saeed Ghani, leader of the opposition in the house, and the continued denial of debate on the issue of the imposition of emergency rule in the country.
An unusual scene was witnessed in the house as the opposition members, with chained hands, wore black badges and had black straps covering their lips. Mr Ghani was conspicuous by his absence and this fuelled speculation about his possible arrest.
However when the house, which was being presided over by Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, resumed its session, the opposition members stood up quietly as a rare sign of symbolic protest for not being allowed to speak on the emergency. With the opposition literally tight-lipped, a treasury member drew the attention of the convener towards a resolution submitted by the treasury benches on the prevailing law and order situation in the city.
The convener tried to persuade the opposition to take part in the proceedings, but they simply refused to listen to her. Thereafter Ms Jalil gave her ruling and allowed the house to debate the treasury’s resolution condemning the various acts of violence in the city.
Thereupon, an emotionally charged opposition leader Sheikh Mehbub-ur-Rehman of the Awam Dost group condemned the government’s move of allegedly issuing arrest warrants for Mr Ghani, saying that he was being punished because of his role in the house for raising a voice of dissent. He urged the convener — being the custodian of the house — to intervene. After the remarks of Mr Rehman, the opposition members staged a walkout from the house.
In the absence of the opposition members, the debate on the treasury’s resolution was continued. Those who took part in the debate included leader of the house Asif Siddiqui, Masood Mehmood, Syed Abdul Khalil and Abdul Jalil.
Regretting the “politics of agitation”, they deplored that the precious time of the house was being wasted over issues which were of no concern to the house. Mr Siddiqui and Mr Khalil were of the view that arrest warrants issued under the MPO were not individual-specific but general. Moreover, they were issued by the Sindh government and the issue was not related to the city government, they claimed.
They stressed the need for keeping the decorum of the house, saying that no steps should be taken to damage the image of the house. They also condemned the attacks on the Nazim of UC-8 Site Town, Mazahir Amir Khan, and two Haq Parast women councillors, Shabnam Shahid and Najma Ibrar.
Give peace a chance
In his speech, Mr Jalil held out an olive branch to the opposition members by agreeing to solve the city’s problems through joint cooperation. Reciting some poetic verses he said, “This city belongs to every one of us and being custodians of this house, we should work together for the development of this city.”
Approved unanimously, the resolution expressed concern over various acts of lawlessness and violence in the city and condemned the attempts being made to create a law and order situation. The house also approved a special allowance of Rs5,000 for group officers of the district municipal office, which will be spent once in a week.
Through another resolution adopted in the house, the city nazim was lauded for making consistent efforts to solve the problems of the citizens and as a result of his efforts, it was said that the civic agencies in the city agreed to work under his supervision.
Later, the convener adjourned the council meeting till next Monday.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders Ramzan Awan and Yusuf Naz condemned the government’s move of allegedly issuing warrants of arrest for Saeed Ghani.
They said such steps would in no way stop the opposition from raising voices against “injustices” and they would continue their struggle against “tyranny and for the restoration of democracy and fundamental rights of the citizens.”
