KARACHI, June 19: Opposition members in the Sindh Assembly on Saturday staged an hour-long sit-in outside the assembly building and strongly criticized the government for poor security that led to the killing of Munawwar Suhrawardy, Abdullah Murad, Mufti Shamzai and others.
They also deplored it for failing to arrest their killers as yet and asked the provincial government to step down.
Law-enforcement agencies had surrounded the assembly building to prevent the opposition's rally from disrupting the scheduled debate on the provincial budget. The security personnel did not allow even many journalists, having valid passes, in the house and told them that all passes issued previously for the coverage of the session had been cancelled.
The authority of the provincial government appeared to be in a limbo as security agencies blocked all roads leading to the assembly building, causing great inconvenience to general public also.
The agencies had brought in water tankers, trucks and other big vehicles to block the roads denying any vehicle or protesters an access to the building.
However, PPP activists managed to reach there as they, instead of marching in a procession, walked up to the venue in groups of two or three. After assembling at the place, they started raising slogans against the government for its failure in arresting those involved in the killings of Munnawar Suhrawardy and MPA Abdullah Murad. Police rounded up many of the protesters who did not offer resistance or resort to violence.
Led by Nisar Khuhro and some MMA leaders, the opposition MPAs staged the sit-in on the road outside the assembly and gave vent to their sentiments.
They chanted slogans demanding resignation of the government for failing to apprehend terrorists and killers involved in recent incidents in the city where 73 people had lost their lives in a few weeks. They also accused Muttahida Qaumi Movement of its involvement in the incidents. Mr Khuhro warned the government against letting the killers move around freely.
He also accused the government of stifling the opposition's voice and denying it the right to voice its concern on the floor of the house, thereby deliberately marginalizing the institution to pave the way for executing "the agenda of one man who had usurped power and trampled down the democratic institutions.
Mr Khuhro asked the government to either provide security to the people or step down. He said that After Abdullah Murad, Munawwar Suhrawardy was the second PPP leader who was shot dead in the city, yet the government had failed to apprehend the killers.
He also castigated the government for failing to contain terrorism which claimed the life of Mufti Shamzai. When the cops commander's convoy was attacked, the agencies apprehended the culprits in a short span of time, he pointed out, but in the case of Abdullah Murad, Mufti Shamzai and Munawwar Suhrawardy, the killers had still remained at large.
He slammed the government for obstructing some MPAs' entry into the house for some time and termed it 'an insult to the institution'.
He told the protesting colleagues that due to government's attitude, the opposition was compelled to stage the sit-in. "If the MPAs are not allowed to enter the assembly, then what was the use of such a house?" he asked.
In an indirect attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mr Khuhro said that those claiming that Karachi was their city, should remember that this port city was part of Sindh and any attempt to create a wedge would not be accepted.
He vowed to continue the struggle until Gen Musharraf was forced to quit and a truly representative government was established.
INQUIRY: Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim has ordered an inquiry into the incident in which certain journalists with valid entry passes were barred from getting into the assembly building on Saturday, adds APP.