KARACHI: Speakers at the ‘Convention for restoration of Qingqi and other CNG rickshaws’ termed the ruling of the Supreme Court as the first victory of the protesting rickshaw drivers and the public, and urged the opposition parties in the Sindh Assembly to help resolve the transport issue of the people.

The convention was jointly organised by representatives of the Qingqi and other CNG rickshaws, the Jamaat-i-Islami and rickshaw associations at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday. It asked the legislators to build pressure on the government to mitigate the hardships being faced not only by the commuters but also by the thousands of families associated with the Qingqi and CNG rickshaw trade and facing starvation.

Deputy chief of the JI Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, who was the chief guest, said the issue had been resolved much earlier if interests of influential persons had been associated with the issue. He urged Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to pay heed to the pressing problem of the millions of commuters.

Karachi JI chief Naeem-ur-Rehman said the agitation would be stepped up if the issue was not resolved within the deadline given by the SC. He warned the government to redress the grievances of the people as well as thousands of rickshaw drivers, otherwise rallies would be taken out on M.A. Jinnah Road.

He also demanded that the government release all detained rickshaws. He told the authorities to implement the SC ruling or the assemblies would be besieged.

Protesters’ leader Mahmood Hamid said that they had been struggling for the people of Karachi. He said the SC had sought explanation from the secretary and the minister of transport why the rickshaws were banned without making alternative transport arrangements. He said that through the ruling the SC had accepted their stance, and it was a victory of the truth.

Safdar Shah Qadri, Younus Barai, a JI leader, Intikhab Aalam Soori, Shafique Malik, Shahid Masood, Faisal Imrani and Shahzad Mazhar also spoke.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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