Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Monday said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Jamaat-e-Islami’s politics depend on criticism of Karachi’s state, so if they do not oppose every little thing while keeping silent on other cities’ problems, how would they do politics?
Talking to the media at the provincial assembly, Memon said local government elections have not been held in Punjab. “Are the people there not human beings?” Regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s strike call, he said businesses and educational institutions are already closed on Sundays. It is the public who faces difficulties due to the closure of shops and offices. “If someone wants to please others, they may continue doing so.”
He said that 1,055 fire incidents that occurred in Karachi were controlled by Rescue 1122 and other agencies, adding that wherever mistakes were made they have been acknowledged. He also said sit-ins do not solve problems, and instead, the citizens whose rights are being highlighted suffer the most. “Everyone has the right to criticise on social media, but such criticism must remain within the framework of the constitution and the law.”
Memon said that a few days ago the PA hosted the Commonwealth Conference, which conveyed a positive message about Pakistan to the world. He said the My Kolachi exhibition and other international exhibitions organised in Karachi sent a global message that Pakistan is a cradle of peace.
He added that the Sindh government organised the CPA Conference in a highly successful and well-organised manner, which also sent a positive message to the international community. He also said that following the CPA Conference, the World Bank president and the accompanying delegation visited various cities and praised the Sindh government’s projects.
The Sindh government is implementing the largest housing project in history, under which 2.1 million houses are being constructed, an initiative unparalleled anywhere in the world, he added.
“Development projects are also under way in other cities of the province, including Karachi, and the government is striving to provide facilities to as many people as possible. The Sindh government will launch more projects in future to maximise public benefit.”
Condemning the Islamabad incident, he said terrorists attacked innocent and defenceless people with the support of Indian intelligence agencies and the Taliban. He said that those enemy countries that cannot confront Pakistan head-on and have suffered historic defeat are conspiring against Pakistan through proxies.
He pointed out that the attack revealed how far the enemy could stoop, while fake Indian accounts attempted to use the incident to spread sectarianism in the country. He said that this was an attack on Pakistan’s integrity, to which the Government of Pakistan has given befitting responses in the past and would continue to do so. Instead of fighting directly, India is resorting to terrorism through proxies like cowards, but Pakistan’s armed forces are fully prepared to give a befitting response, he added. “All political parties should unite to confront this threat, and send a clear message to the enemy that the nation stands united.”
‘State terrorism’
During Monday’s PA session, JI MPA Muhammad Farooq protested his arrest a day earlier, and said that a sit-in would be held outside the House on February 14 no matter what. The session began with PA Speaker Owais Qadir Shah in chair. At the outset of the sitting, prayers were offered for the martyrs of the Islamabad attack.
When the question hour on the universities & boards department began, Farooq stood up from his seat as he wished to speak on the objection point, but session chairperson Rehana Leghari told him to let the proceedings of the House be completed first.
Opposition lawmakers started protesting when their colleague was not allowed to speak, but Rehana continued the question hour. Universities & Boards Minister Ismail Rahu replied to MPAs’ questions.
Rahu said that over the past 17 years, 10 new universities have been established in the province, while 16 university campuses have been built. He admitted that there is a shortage of buses at universities and campuses, but the University of Karachi’s point buses run from Korangi and Malir.
MQM-P MPA Shariq Jamal said that the condition of the university’s buses is very bad. “The dilapidated buses are called funeral buses,” he added. Rahu said that some buses are really not good, and 15 KU buses are broken, but the other buses that are running are better.
When Farooq was allowed to speak, he said he was arrested on February 8, “which is complete state terrorism”. He claimed that the police raid on JI’s peaceful press conference was done on the home minister’s orders. “The home minister should answer under which law this was done.”
He said that not allowing discussion on the point of objection is dictatorship. “We’re not afraid of arrests and reprisals. The Sindh government is in a panic. Demonstrating fascism on peaceful protests is a condemnable act. What kind of democracy is this where discussion is allowed neither in the assembly nor outside.”
MPA Wajid Ali said he was arrested and tortured a day earlier. He demanded that the SHO responsible be removed. He said he swears before the home minister that he is not involved in any kind of crime.
Home and Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar presented the audit report of the Sindh AIDS Control Programme in the PA, which was sent to the Public Accounts Committee. He also presented the report of the Council of Islamic Ideology. Later, the PA session was adjourned until Tuesday (today).
