PTI protests recent killings in Sindh

If perpetrators are not arrested, PTI will organise a bigger protest in the city, says Naqvi

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership in Sindh staged a sit-in outside the Chief Minister (CM) House on Tuesday to protest the worsening law and order in Sindh. The protest, over the recent killings of political workers, was led by opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, PTI MPA Firdous Shamim Naqvi.

In protest

The protesters demanded for district coordination committees to be set up to deal with this issue and for action to be taken against cops involved in corruption and the facilitation of criminals.

"Innocent citizens are killed in Sindh on a daily basis while the government turns a blind eye," said Naqvi. His fellow protesters wore black armbands, sang the national anthem in front of the CM House, and shouted slogans to draw attention to their cause. "If the perpetrators involved in the recent killings in the city are not arrested, PTI will organise a bigger protest in the city," added Naqvi.

Citing recent killings

Naqvi referred to the kidnapping and killing of Ramsha Wassan - a recent victim of honour killing in Khairpur, and called for a high level inquiry into the incident.

The murder of Jeay Sindh Tehreek's Karachi president and Sindhi nationalist, Irshad Ranjhani, on February 6 was highlighted by PTI MPA Haleem Adil Sheikh who also accused Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah of fanning ethnic hatred following the incident. Sheikh questioned as to why the accused in the attack on PTI MPA Ramzan Ghanchi was not arrested in a timely manner. "The incident of Ranjhani's murder would not have occurred if the government had arrested the culprit in Ghanchi's case," claimed Sheikh.



CM offers tea

Biscuits and tea were sent from the CM house as refreshments for the PTI MPAs and workers protesting outside. Later, the CM summoned the aggrieved MPAs and held a meeting with them. He gave assurances that the police were trying to arrest the perpetrators and ensure justice for the victims. The protesters eventually dispersed.

'Open door policy'

Earlier outside the Sindh Assembly building, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the doors for negotiation with PTI leaders were always open. The barrister, who is also the spokesperson for the Sindh government, said that instead of staging protests, PTI leaders should attempt to engage with the Sindh government which firmly believes that each and every issue can be solved through negotiations.



According to Wahab, PTI's protest was quite unnecessary as the CM had already taken notice of the incidents and issued orders to address the same concerns. Terrorism is a national issue and the provincial government was utilising its resources to the maximum in order to address the issue, added Wahab.

He said that while the protesters were within their rights, the appropriate forum for debate on those issues was the Sindh Assembly. Protesting on these matters was beyond comprehension, claimed Wahab, adding that PTI had come into power but had not come out of container politics as yet. The barrister cited a recent incident of a PTI MNA throwing sewage water on the gate of the CM House and questioned as to what message the ruling party wished to send. Action cannot be taken against the police because of orders by the apex court, said Wahab adding that the same orders were applauded by PTI.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2019.