KARACHI, Jan 7 The blast that ripped through the main Ashura procession on Dec 28 last year, killing more than 40 people, and the subsequent acts of arson dominated the proceedings of the city council on Thursday despite the fact that the house had adopted two unanimous resolutions on the issue moved separately by the treasury and opposition benches at its previous session.

Senior presiding officer Masud Mehmud faced a dilemma when opposition leader Rafiq Ahmed stood up on a point of order at the start of the proceedings and insisted that the house be allowed to debate the tragic incidents that occurred in the city on Dec 28.

The presiding officer observed that the house had already adopted two resolutions on the subject unanimously, and asked the member why he did not insist on a debate on the issue when the resolutions were moved.

The opposition leader said the house had not discussed the issue thoroughly because the previous session was dedicated to condoling the death of an important member of the council who was killed in a targeted attack.

Mr Ahmed argued that many security lapses were witnessed on the fateful day. He also questioned the role of the law-enforcement agencies in the episode.

He also objected to certain remarks made by the city nazim on a private TV channel hurling insults on politicians and journalists.

However, on a point of explanation, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui said the nazim had explained his position to the channel in a separate interview.

Mr Siddiqui conceded that “inappropriate remarks” were made, but said they were uttered in a stressful situation in the same way as certain remarks were made by Home Minister Zulfikar Mirza.

Respecting the sentiments of the house, the presiding officer allowed the members to express their views on the tragic incidents of Ashura.

Later, participating in the debate, some members prompted a blame game, accusing foreign and local agencies of being responsible for the Dec 28 tragedies.Opposition member Ramzan Awan backed Rafiq Ahmed's stand and questioned the spectator's role played by the law-enforcement agencies, alleging that while the “subversive elements were busy in acts of arson and plunder of properties, police and Rangers did not stop them”.

Mr Awan questioned the role of the city government also, alleging that the fire tenders did not arrive on time to douse the raging fires. He said it was the responsibility of the security forces to use force when the life and property of the citizens was in danger.

Treasury leader Arshad Qureshi slammed the subversive activities that took place on Dec 28, saying that the events that unfolded after the Ashura blast clearly indicated that there was a pre-planned conspiracy behind it.

“It all appeared that the aim of the plotters was to destroy the business hub of the city and its institutions which played a pivotal role in the city,” he said.

Opposition member Yousuf Naz criticised the CDGK for not taking an interest in the development of the old city areas and Lyari. He particularly referred to the deplorable condition of the Spencer Eye Hospital near Lea Market. He said once the hospital was a premier institution of Asia, but it was ruined by CDGK neglect.

The treasury member pointed out that President Asif Ali had already announced that the Ashura blast was in reaction to his speech by the non-state elements who were out to destabilise the country.

He defended the city nazim's role during the fateful incidents and his part in the development of the city.

In his remarks, opposition leader Juman Darwan urged all democratic as well as religious forces of the country to shun the politics of confrontation and adopt the course of reconciliation in the interest of the country.

Mr Darwan also called for conducting an impartial inquiry into the incidents of Ashura to expose the culprits.

The opposition leader lauded the federal and provincial government for taking a keen interest in the rehabilitation of the victims of the Lighthouse and Boulton Market arson attacks and releasing billions of rupees for their rehabilitation.

Participating in the debate, Syed Abrar-ul-Hasan of the treasury benches said the council had already expressed its collective will by adopting two resolutions at the previous session.

He alleged that anti-Pakistan elements had prepared a three-pronged strategy aimed at fomenting ethnic and sectarian strife in the city and to undermine the political party responsible for the development of the city. Mr Hasan lauded the role of the city nazim and slammed elements who were waging a smear campaign against him.

The remarks of opposition member Abdul Razak raised many eyebrows when he attacked the United States and held it solely responsible for the violence in Waziristan, Bajaur, Fata and other parts of country, including Karachi.

Call for harmony

He urged the house members to shun the practice of 'opposition for the sake of opposition' and jointly work to expose elements behind the violent incidents in the city and the country, saying that incidents of violence taking place in the country were interlinked.

Treasury leader Abdul Jalil criticised the blame game and lauded the role of the city government during the violent acts following the Ashura blast.

He denied that fire-tenders arrived late on the fateful day, saying that the city nazim had taken all possible steps the situation demanded.

Mr Jalil denied that any foreign agency, including the Indian spy agency RAW, was involved in the violent acts of the city. On the other hand, he blamed a religious party for it.

Suo motu notice urged

Responding to the sentiments of the house, Mr Jalil urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the Ashura blast and subsequent violent incidents in Karachi.

In his concluding remarks, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the acts of violence.He claimed that the plotters had planned to challenge the writ of the MQM, which is a representative body of Karachi, and to destroy the institutions of the city, saying that it was not a conspiracy against the city but it was also aimed at weakening the country.

He agreed to the suggestion that the Chief Justice take suo motu notice of the incidents. He also urged the members to make joint efforts to defeat the forces bent on harming the country.

Ismail Brohi, Abdul Sami, Ansar Razi and Mirza Sajid Beg also took part in the debate.

After the discussion on the tragic Ashura incidents, presiding officer Masud Mehsud tabled a joint resolution about the approval of bylaws-2009 for the City Institute of Image Management, which was adopted unanimously.

The house also adopted a resolution approving the layout plan part one of sheets 4 and 2, and part one of sheet 3 for granting lease to the residents of P&T Colony, Saddar, which was a declared a katchi abadi in 1985.

After the adoption of the resolutions, the presiding officer adjourned the house to meet on Jan 9 at 3pm.