Stop arms inflow from K-P to Karachi, demands MQM

PTI's Khurrum Sher Zaman upset over idea that arms are smuggled from K-P where his party is in power

KARACHI: After much debate, treasury and opposition lawmakers decried the smuggling of illegal weapons from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to Karachi and demanded of the federal government on Tuesday to take immediate measures against illegal weapons factories in the country.

The demand came after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Kamran Akhtar moved a resolution to control the illegal manufacture, sale and purchase as well as smuggling of weapons, which deteriorates law and order. The resolution triggered debate in the house as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPAs were divided on the issue.



PTI MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman raised eyebrows against remarks that illegal weapons are smuggled from K-P, where his party is running the government. On the other hand, the parliamentary leader of his party, Samar Ali Khan, along with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah endorsed the MQM's resolution. "It is a serious matter," said Khan. "I support it."



The CM also supported the resolution. "It is an important and timely resolution." He shared that out of the 900 illegal weapons recovered from Karachi, 750 are made in Darra Adam Khel in K-P. "I wrote to the federal interior ministry but received lukewarm response," he said, adding that he will again approach the federal government after this resolution.

Zaman, however, pointed out that it was not K-P but Karachi wherefrom a huge cache of arms was recovered from party offices. "Please avoid [saying] that illegal weapons are made in K-P," he said, reiterating that the weapons have been found in Karachi.

"There is no illegal weapons factory in my city or my province," said Kamran Akhtar, who moved the resolution. After the debate, the resolution was passed.

Census

The issue of census was also raised after Naheed Begum of the MQM moved a resolution to launch an awareness campaign regarding registration of women in the forthcoming census.

The MQM expressed reservations fearing that urban areas will be turned into a minority and demanded that census exercises be carried out under the supervision of the army. Meanwhile, PPP lawmakers diverted the attention towards the 30% population of Sindh that has no computerised national identity cards (CNICs). Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro appealed the government withdraw the CNIC condition. "Three days have been fixed for house listing and 10 days for census, which are not sufficient," he said. Briefing the house about the census preparation, Khuhro mentioned that the army will also be deployed to ensure transparency.

MQM lawmaker Faisal Subzwari recalled how, in the 1998 census, the population of urban areas was turned into a minority and they had protested it. "I hope that same practice will not be repeated [this year]," he said, adding that delimitation of constituencies, job quota and share in provincial finance commission will be determined on the basis of census, so it must be unbiased and transparent.



Naheed, who had moved the resolutions, talked about women's participation in the process. According to her, women constitute around 50% of the population. "Unfortunately, 11 million are not registered in voter lists," she said, adding that there was a need of a campaign to mobilise people, especially women, regarding the census.

Fare meters and beggary

Assembly members also demanded of the Sindh government to order the immediate installation of fare meters in rickshaws and taxis in the province. MQM's Moin Aamir Pirzada moved the resolution. Meanwhile, the assembly passed a unanimous resolution to take strict action against beggary and child labour. PTI MPA Dr Seema Zia had tabled it.

Mayoral powers

Earlier, as the session started with deputy speaker Shehla Raza in chair, MQM MPAs Nadeem Razi and Syed Khalid Ahmed moved a private bill demanding the appointment of the mayor as the chairperson of the Malir Development Authority (MDA). Pakistan Peoples Party turned down the plea.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2017.