LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has urged the leadership of Muttahida Qaumi Movement to dissociate itself from what he called its militant wing and said the party should remain part of mainstream politics.

He did not agree with the contention that statement of death-row prisoner Saulat Mirza had tarnished the party’s image.

“The statement has actually benefited the MQM politically,” Mr Shah said at a press conference here on Sunday.

Take a look: Killed KESC chief on Altaf Hussain's orders, Saulat Mirza claims

There could be “some truth in the statement”, he said, but wondered why “so much importance” was being attached to a statement by a man sitting in a death cell.

“The delay in his (Mirza’s) execution and suggestions that his death sentence may be turned into life imprisonment are creating a lot of doubts. His death penalty should be executed (without any delay),” he remarked.

The death-row prisoner’s statement was even creating doubts about the Rangers-led operation being carried out in Karachi, the PPP leader said.

He said: “It was the MQM’s demand that the army supervise the Karachi operation. And the operation is being carried out properly. We support the actions of the army and Rangers and (feel) the operation should continue without discrimination.”

Mr Shah welcomed Altaf Hussain’s statement that MQM did not want confrontation with the national institutions.

Mr Hussain’s party was the second largest party of Sindh and it would not be in the national interest to push it to the wall by “labelling it as a terrorist organisation”, he said.

Talking about those killed in Lyari, he said: “A majority of those killed in the Lyari operation belonged to the Taliban.”

The PPP leader said the law and order situation in Sindh had improved considerably after the launching of the operation.

He also called for an operation against banned organisations. “The banned organisations are a cancer for our society and an operation should be launched against them.”

He welcomed the agreement between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) over the setting up of a judicial commission to look into allegations of rigging in the 2013 general election.

“The PPP had advised the government not to accept the resignations of PTI legislators and to resolve the matter through dialogue,” he remarked. He asked PTI chief Imran Khan to return to parliament.

Published in Dawn March 23rd , 2015

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