HYDERABAD, De 28: Members of the district council have termed a proposal to bifurcate the Hyderabad district a conspiracy to divide people on ethnic lines.

Speaking at the council meeting on Tuesday, they said people would not accept such a divisive move in the name of city government or on ethnic lines.

It was chief whip Miran Mohammad Shah who rose to draw the attention of the convener to press reports that a plan was ready to divide the district by forming a city district government based on three urban talukas.

He wanted the chair to suspend proceedings of the agenda and take up this item. Mir Karim Talpur, Ali Nawaz Kutrio, Aziz Memon, Khalid Memon and women members stood up and supported Mr Shah's contention.

Mr Shah said a similar move had been made in Qambar Ali Khan where press reports had indicated the bifurcation plan much before it took place. He said meetings were being held in the district and the DCO was attending these meetings. Therefore he should be called by the council to disclose facts.

"I strongly oppose any such bifurcation and it is better that the council should play its due role in opposing such a plan because it also involves question of privilege of the council", he said.

"Do you want that members should face bullets after the government divides the district", said Mr Shah. Nabi Bux Lund said that no incident of ethnic riot had taken place in the district in the past several years but it appeared that the government was trying to foment ethnic rivalries.

Convenor Nawab Rashid Ali Khan disagreed with these contentions and said that these were speculative stories and nothing had been decided yet. He said any such decision must be in accordance with the wishes of the people and elected representatives.

"There has to be some concrete ground before the council takes up the matter because we do not want to promote hatred among members who have completed their tenure in a friendly atmosphere and like a family", he said.

Mr Khan said the council was a symbol of integrity and that any debate could be held or even a session could be requisitioned by members if any such official meeting was attended by the district nazim.

"Let us call the DCO in the council to brief the elected representatives", he said. Dr Ayaz Arain said the council was the supreme body of district, therefore it should discuss the issue in a separate session.

Though the chair did not allow any formal debate or resolution in this regard but members made their views clear to the government that they were not in favour of any bifurcation. The council adopted the resolution of Firdous Abro, condemning killings in Qambar.

She demanded that a judicial probe be held into the matter. Ms Abro said responsible police officials should be arrested for resorting to firing on peaceful protesters.

Another resolution was also adopted by the council which sought regularization of Deh Jamshoro in survey-60 under the Sindh Katchi Abadis Act. She said the survey-60 should be included in the Hur camp and facilities be provided to the area.