July 01, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1429

KARACHI, June 30: Leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Jam Madad Ali has said that the law and order situation is deteriorating in the interior of the province, particularly in Shikarpur, where during the last two days an SP, a DSP and a SHO were killed, kidnap victim Fakhruddin was found dead and XEN Abdul Wahab, kidnapped by unknown persons, is still missing.

He deplored that whenever the attention of the government high-ups was drawn in the house to the grave law and order situation, instead of giving a positive response, they said they had inherited the situation from the previous government.

Jam Madad, who was speaking at a press conference after the assembly session was prorogued on Monday, said it was not an appropriate reply as the day the new government was installed it had become its responsibility to handle the law and order situation.

The leader of the opposition, flanked by Arif Jatoi and Abdul Razzaq Rahimoon, said as far as political victimisation of their opponents was concerned, Ghulam Shah Jilani, a member from the treasury benches, had admitted that 22 primary school teachers from Johi, who had opposed the PPP candidates in the last elections, had been transferred far away.

To back up his charge of victimisation, he also gave details of the FIRs registered against Pakistan Muslim League-Functional workers in three districts. He said in Tharparkar, 13 FIRs were registered in which more than 2,000 persons, including six brothers of MPA Razzaq Rahimoon, were implicated. Likewise, he said, in Shikarpur five FIRs were registered in which 43 persons, including Pakistan Muslim League-Q MPA Shaheryar Mehar and senior PML-Q leader Ghous Bux Mehar, were implicated.

In Badin district, five FIRs were registered and in each FIR 35 to 45 persons were nominated while in Khairpur and Thatta, FIRs were being registered.

Jam Madad said the PML-F chief had instructed them not to take any measures that might vitiate peace and create a law and order situation in Khairpur. “That is why,” he said, “the PML-F workers did not resist when they were not allowed to take part in polling, and as a result the voter turnout was recorded at only 26 per cent.”

He said Siddique Rajar, DO of revenue, was implicated in a case of smuggling of weapons and charas only because his elder brother was in the PML-F.

He welcomed the Sindh Land Revenue Bill No 3, 2008, that was adopted by the assembly. He said if the bill would have been sent to the relevant standing committee, it would have been better as the current rulers had suggest during the last tenure that legislation should be moved for consideration in the house through the committees.

Jam Ali recalled the issue raised by Rana Abdul Sattar in the house about the steep rise in wheat flour prices within 15 days from Rs18 per kg to Rs30, taking it beyond the reach of the common man.

He said he had also drawn the attention of the government towards primary school teachers and vaccinators, who were sitting outside the Karachi Press Club and protesting as they were not being allowed to join the workforce, though they had been given appointment letters after a test conducted by the IBA. “Even this matter was not responded to by any minister,” he added.

He also recalled that on Monday, the last day of the current session, he had taken up the matter of giving him the chamber of the opposition leader in the house so that the opposition could use it for holding press conferences and meetings of colleagues.

Jam Madad Ali said that not only was the chamber not handed over to him, but even a car and a telephone were also not provided to him. He claimed he was even asked to vacate the room which was in his use as chairman of the public accounts committee.