KARACHI: Lawmakers representing rural and urban areas in the Sindh Assembly on Monday expressed their concern over what they described as ethnic strife being stoked by vested interests against Urdu- and non-Urdu-speaking communities.

Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmakers reiterated their determination to foil the conspiracy of pitting one community against another, arguing that Sindh belonged to all its residents.

Besides the exchange of arguments from both sides on the ethnic issue, the Sindh Assembly passed three bills, namely The Sindh Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2014; The Sindh Condominium Bill, 2014; and The Sindh Universities and Institutes Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2014 which was introduced after withdrawal of the Dow University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2014 through supplementary agenda.

Earlier when the house reassembled at 11.11am shortly after the question hour, PPP leader and former minister Nadir Ali Magsi through his point of order drew attention of the house to the issue of Sindhi employees of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board being harassed to give up their job and leave Karachi. The employees, who contacted the PPP on the issue, were asked to show restraint but that was taken as weakness of the Sindhi and the Baloch people, he said. Mr Magsi asked the MQM to hold back their workers, as Sindh belonged to all its residents. If the matter was allowed to spread, it would not remain in control either of the MQM or the PPP, he warned.

MQM leader Syed Faisal Sabzwari said they condemned such unpleasant incidents and asked the government to take action against those involved in hurling threats against others. But it would be unwise to blame the MQM for it, he said. If some excesses were committed against anyone in Larkana, the PPP should not be blamed, he said, arguing that similarly if one had suffered in Karachi the MQM could not be blamed. Three MQM lawmakers — Raza Haider, Manzar Imam and Sajid Qureshi — were killed in Karachi, he added. “All sorts of elements are operating in Karachi,” he said, adding that hatred and confusion was not in the interest of any of us but only in the interest of those who didn’t believe in democracy.

Deputy Speaker Syeda Shehla Raza, who was presiding over the house after Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani had left it for a while, said Mr Magsi was talking about the institution having a majority of employees associated with the MQM and where non-Urdu speaking were being threatened. She suggested MQM lawmakers sit with Mr Magsi and find out a solution to the problem.

However, Mr Magsi said that instead of holding talks, the MQM should hold back its people. In response, Mr Sabzwari said workers of all parties should demonstrate restraint.

Local Bodies and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said it was a very serious matter and those who were being threatened were government servants, Pakistani and Muslims and no law or ethics allowed anyone to commit violence against anyone. He said he had spoken to the Sindh police chief and the Rangers director general to arrest those involved in issuing threats.

Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional said that the minister had assured lawmakers of initiating action on the matter some time back also, but the issue was being raised again in the house at present. The house should be informed what action had been taken against those involved in hurling threats because the situation could worsen if any untoward incident took place, he said. He said it was possible that some elements might exploit the situation.

Mr Memon said raids had been carried out on the residence of some suspects who were not found there. The government was not weak but it showed restraint, he said, giving assurance to the house that severe action would be taken against those involved in hurling threats.

Dr Saghir Ahmad of the MQM said such incidents must not happen and they deserved condemnation. He said they too were receiving complaints from some districts where certain houses and shops were marked and students being stopped from pursuing their studies. He said the house didn’t expect that Mr Magsi would use such remarks against the MQM calling it “to hold back your men” as he would not like himself that anyone asking PPP to take care of their men. “We will not allow to succeed any conspiracy to pit us against each other. We believe in love and harmony. We can sit with Nadir Magsi and can talk to him.”

Sindh Minister Javed Nagori said whatever views were expressed by Mr Magsi were based on facts. He alleged that a member of the national assembly was involved in worsening the Lyari situation. He claimed that he had with him recording of his voice that could be produced as its proof.

Mr Sabzwari said Mr Nagori should inform the house who exactly he was talking about, as an MNA from Lyari had been under arrest in cases of different crimes though the MQM had no hand in his arrest.

Taking up the formal business from the order of the day in response to the call attention notice of MQM lawmaker Jamal Ahmad, Local Government Minister Sharjeel Memon informed the house that over Rs113 million out of Rs150 million was paid to over 80 per cent KMC pensioners for the month of October while the remaining pensioners would be paid soon.

In response to the call attention notice of MQM legislator Mohammad Hussain about 30 per cent water shortage in Karachi that worsened due to a power breakdown at pumping stations, Mr Memon said only 550mgd water was available from Dhabeji and 100mgd from Hub against the city’s total requiremment of 1,000mgd water. He said efforts bieng made to upgrade Dhabeji pumping station to get 100mgd more water from it. A representative committee had been formed for just distribution of water, he said.An adjournment motion regarding the Thar situation was not taken up, as the mover PML-F leader Imtiaz Shaikh did not press it on technical grounds.

After adopting three government bills out of four on the order of the day, the house was adjourned for Tuesday at 3.30pm while the fourth bill The Sindh Medical and Dental Council Bill, 2014 was refered to the standing committee on health with a directive to file its report within a fortnight.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2014