April 06, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429

KARACHI, April 5: Former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Saturday managed to escape the wrath of enraged activists and left the assembly without taking the oath.

Dr Rahim, who had returned from Saudi Arabia late Friday night, faced this situation when he, along with other members of the PML-Q, arrived in the assembly hall before the proceedings began.

The incident not only reflected the belligerent mood of the incensed activists but also exposed the total lack of support for Dr Rahim among the few PML-Q members.

At that time galleries were swarming with slogan-chanting PPP and MQM supporters.

The PPP supporters also removed the official photographs of former chief ministers Dr Arbab Rahim and Liaquat Jatoi. They pulled down the photographs on display in the main assembly hall with other chief ministers of the province.

Spotting Dr Rahim in the house, the enraged party workers, who until then were chanting pro-Bhutto slogans, hurled abuses at him, calling him a ‘turncoat’ and a ‘tyrant’. They demanded his arrest for the alleged complicity in subverting the ballot and torturing PPP workers and supporters and plundering Sindh’s wealth and resources.

The crowd was so charged that it tried to break into the house to seize him. In the process, they broke door glasses in the opposition galleries. Some of them entered the house and tried to tear his clothes and rough him up. But he was whisked away to the adjoining lobby by the assembly staff as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement legislators also intervened.

Adil Siddiqui, Syed Sardar Ahmad, Faisal Sabzwari and Abdul Haseeb scrambled to provide safe passage to Dr Rahim.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s parliamentary leader Pir Mazharul Haq and Zulfiqar Mirza also intervened and sought to calm the enraged workers. PPP MPA Haji Munawwar Abbasi said he could do nothing in the charged situation when Dr Rahim sought his help.

At this point the PML-Q legislators also distanced themselves from Dr Rahim who, according to sources, rang up the Sindh governor to seek help.

Dr Arbab Rahim, who was confined to the lobby, even reportedly asked for a ladder to get out of the place by scaling down a wall. But better sense prevailed and he was advised against making what would have been a dangerous stunt.

While this was going on, the members of the PML-Q sat in another lobby to escape the wrath of the PPP workers. Dr Rahim remained locked up in the lobby for more than an hour.

When the session began for administering the oath to the members, Dr Rahim was asked to return to the house, but he refused to take the oath and preferred to be escorted out in strong police protection. His colleagues quietly got into the house and took the oath.

According to the sources, on the governor’s directives DIG (South) Javed Hussain Bukhari and Saddar TPO Tahir Naved provide security to the former chief minister.

Condemning his humiliation in the Sindh assembly, Dr Rahim said at a subsequent press conference that he might seek legal remedy after consultation with friends.

The visibly embarrassed Dr Rahim said he would again try to take the oath though he claimed his life was in danger. He said he would also inform close friends about the names of those involved in the ugly incident.

He said the “anti-democratic” assault on him was the result of a well-planned exercise and asked the relevant authorities why 4,500 passes had been issued and on whose orders.

Dr Arbab Rahim said he had entered the assembly through a different direction but he was insulted, which was contrary to democratic and civilized norms.

Answering a question, Dr Rahim said he was maltreated despite the fact the new rulers were claiming to be ardent believers in democracy and were calling for reconciliation, which was also supported by the PML-Q. He said that after Saturdays’ incident he and his friends would discuss the possibility of putting up candidates for all the top slots in the province. He said he had never used abusive language against Benazir Bhutto.

He could not explain the legal status of the ownership of the Muslim League House, which had been taken over by activists of the PML-N on Friday.