KARACHI - Sindh Assembly on Friday witnessed rumpus when MQM members began to chant ‘Go Shehla Go’ slogans protesting against Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza for using the phrase ‘Dimagh ki dahi’ (yogurt of the brain) during the address of MQM lawmaker Muhammad Hussain.
The situation vitiated when Shehla Raza resumed the chair, MQM lawmaker demanded the deputy speaker to apologise for the inappropriate remark made during the Tuesday’s session. Soon after this, MQM lawmakers started chanting slogans of “Go Shehla Go” in the House.
Ms Raza, who appeared unfazed, as MQM lawmakers continued with their sloganeering also offered water as well as lassi (a local drink made from yogurt) to the opposition members. It did not seem to help as MQM legislators who remained on their toes and continued raising slogans against the deputy speaker. They demanded that the remarks be expunged from the proceedings. “I uttered these words in a light mood. Just used these words humorously,” said Ms Raza, however, the opposition refused to accept her logic and chanted “Go Shehla Go” slogans. -
The order returned to the House when Agha Siraj returned after a while quibbling he could have been allowed to sip a cup of tea. MQM member Faisal Sabzwari urged the speaker to expunge the unparliamentarily remarks of the deputy speaker which have hurt feelings of our members, from the proceedings. Upon which Muhammad Hussain of MQM said TV channels had run these remarks 24 hours which hurt his feelings so Ms Raza should tender apology. Pacifying the MQM member, the Speaker expunged the remarks from the proceedings.
The House resumed discussion on the law and order situation in Sindh on the adjournment motion of opposition leader Sheharyar Mehar. Earlier, Opposition leader Sheharyar Mehar, started debate on his adjournment motion, said the law and order situation in the province was not satisfactory. People kidnapped from Khairpur, hometown of the CM, were released after payment of ransom.
He accused the government of patronising the criminals. He said the notorious criminal, wanted in murders and kidnapping cases, were sitting with the PPP leaders in the public meeting addressed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on October 18 and showed the pictures in the House which was published in newspapers.
He said the incidents of kidnappings for ransom were at its peak in Sanghar, Hyderabad and Shikarpur districts. The whereabouts of the son of Sindh Auqaf Secretary, who was kidnapped, were not known yet.
The kidnapping for ransom has become an industry and the people kidnapped from Karachi were being released from interior Sindh after payment of ransom, he added. He said police officers were being posted on ‘intercession’ and ‘money’ while dedicated and honest police officers were being sent to the Centre. He said the federal interior minister had focused only on target killings in Karachi while ignoring the Interior Sindh where law and order situation was at its ebb.
MQM member Waqar Shah accused the influential persons of the Interior Sindh of patronising kidnappings for ransom. He said the people of Hindu community were migrating to India due to increasing incidents of kidnapping of their community people. He drew the attention of the House towards the wall-chalking of ‘Daesh’ (ISIS) in his constituency PS-128 (Landhi, Quaidabad). He said 70 per cent of the walls painted with the slogans of Daesh. He said he brought the matter into the knowledge of concerned police station but they (police) remained unmoved.
PPP lawmaker Dr Sikandar Shoro said though law and order situation was not ideal but the law enforcement agencies had arrested the wanted criminals and busted a number of gangs. He said the law and order was started deteriorating during General (r) Musharraf regime. Now the militancy was a big threat for Sindh.
Sorath Thebo of PML-N expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order, tribal feud in interior and bloodshed in Karachi. She said criminals were harassing and intimidating the Sindhi officers in the Secretariat.
Sindh Anti-Corruption and Jails Minister Manzoor Wassan said those, who were now criticising the PPP, had always enjoyed power whether it was the government of Muslim League or the PPP. Without naming, he said they had started political interference in the police department when in power and now they were blaming the PPP for political interference.
Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Sharjeel Memon said the law and order was a long-standing problem which not only restricted to Sindh but the entire country was facing this problem. He said the personnel of security agencies were arresting the criminals by putting their lives at risk but judges, in the courts, due to fear had failed to award punishments to them. He rejected the allegations of loot in the name of targeted operation and claimed that 70 to 80 per cent incidents of targeted killings have decreased due to operation.
Waryam Faqir, Mehtab Akber Rashdi of the PML-F, Rauf Siddiqui, Rahid Khilji of MQM also spoke dwelt at length on the deteriorating law and order in Sindh. After debate on the adjournment motion, the Speaker adjourned the House till November 17.