KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly Monday session was adjourned twice due to rumpus in the house when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement raised protest for not being allowed to take up the issue of party worker Mohammad Hashim’s murder and a resolution against Asif Ali Zardari.

The house was adjourned first time for 10 minutes at 12.35pm when a scuffle was averted by senior lawmakers after MQM lawmaker Zafar Kamali waving the slain party activist’s photo charged towards the bench of the leader of the house. PPP lawmakers had to provide cover to the chief minister who then left for his chamber.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani adjourned the session amid slogans such as “Zalimo jawab do, khoon ka hisab do, Hashim tere khoon se inqilab aaega, Naraa-i-Mohajir jiye Mohajir, and Lathi goli kee sarkar naheen chalegi”.

After adjournment when the house reassembled at 1pm, Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro regretted over the attitude of the protesting lawmakers and the way some MQM lawmakers moved towards the chief minister’s desk. Speaker Durrani and leader of opposition Khawaja Izharul Hasan also regretted over the chaos in the house. “Whatever happened in the house deserved condemnation,” said Mr Khuhro, adding that the way the MQM lawmakers marched towards the chief minister could have resulted in violence.

The house again witnessed commotion when Speaker Durrani disposed of the privilege motion of PPP lawmaker Khairunnisa Moghul, who was not present in the house, and asked MQM lawmaker Heer Soho to read out her adjournment motion. However, MQM legislators including Mohammad Hussain and Khawaja Izharul Hassan insisted that they be allowed to take up the issue of Hashim’s murder. As Ms Soho also appeared reluctant to take up her motion, the chair warned that she read out the motion or else he would move to the next item on the agenda. Instead of her motion, Ms Soho started reading out the resolution against Mr Zardari. She had barely read: “PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on June 16 …” when members from the treasury benches rose from their seats to lodge protest over the move. Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro was heard asking the chair to exercise his authority as there was complete chaos in the house.

The session was finally adjourned at 2.30pm for Tuesday and MQM lawmakers raising slogans “Go Zardari Go” and “Go Imran Go” left the house.

The trend against the parliamentary traditions was actually set by MQM lawmaker Zafar Kamali who during Fateha for the departed souls said the MQM chief had announced that Independence Day would be celebrated with enthusiasm.

Mr Kamali then demanded the arrest of the killers of Hashim, and said those who broke Pakistan and raised the slogan of “Udher Tum, Idher Hum” be perished. This prompted PPP lawmakers to lodge protest. The chair then closed the mike of the MQM lawmaker and expunged his remarks, citing that the Fateha was not meant for making political speeches. MQM lawmakers Zubair Ahmad, Rashid Khiljee, Abdul Haseeb and Azeem Farooqui then demanded the arrest of Hashim’s killers.

Earlier, MQM Parliamentary Leader Syed Sardar Ahmad talked about the sacrifices given by the Muslims from the minority provinces. Yet, he said, his colleague, Hashim, was kidnapped on May 6 while he was returning home and killed. Mr Ahmad also quoted the French freedom movement leader, Madame Roland, stating “Oh liberty what crimes are committed in thy name”.

Leader of opposition Khwaja Izharul Hassan after the Fateha asked Speaker Durrani to allow MQM lawmaker Azeem Farooqui to give details of Hashim’s murder.

Parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikander Mandhro asked the opposition lawmakers to give some time to the government to collect details of the case. On this, MQM members started waving Hashim’s photos and raised slogans. “People were dying but the Sindh government did not want to hear about a murder,” said Mr Hasan amid slogans such as “Gunda gardi nahin chalegi”.

Dr Mandhro said that Gunda gerdi was that the house was not being allowed to carry out business.

Published in Dawn August 11th, 2015

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