Haleem’s stay order states the lease expired: Wahab

Sindh govt spokesperson says presidential ordinance on Senate polls has created ‘havoc’

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahan claimed on Monday that the stay order that opposition leader in the provincial assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh had produced against the razing of his property in Malir stated that the lease of the land in question had expired.

Addressing a press conference, Wahab said, “The stay order states that the lease has expired and the Supreme Court, too, had issued directives against extending the 30-year lease of land let out for poultry farming.”

He further stated that earlier, 431 acres of land in Malir was free from the illegal occupation in Malir, but no one protested back then.

“The Saturday’s protest was staged only because the properties belonged to them [Haleem and his relatives],” remarked Wahab, adding that efforts were being made to make a good move controversial and political.

They even attempt to obstruct a legal action by blocking a road, he added, dubbing the act “shameful”.

He asserted whenever land would be illegally occupied, action would be taken, irrespective of how powerful the persons involved were.

Senate polls

Turning his attention to the upcoming Senate elections and the presidential ordinance promulgated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government for open ballot polls, Wahab termed the decree “unconstitutional”.

Referring to the previous day’s press conference of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Mian Raza Rabbani, he said the senior PPP leader was correct in saying that the federal cabinet was ‘blind’.

“From a constitutional standpoint, the government’s decision has created havoc,” he commented, outlining what he considered the three main wrong decisions that the incumbent government had made with the involvement of the president. “The government promulgated a presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, then promulgated the islands ordinance and now they have passed one on Senate elections,” he elaborated.

Wahab pointed out that while the decree had been enacted, but it would not remain valid if the Supreme Court advises against open ballot polls in the upper house.

“This has given rise to uncertainty… and if I do not call the move based on confusion or malice, then what should I call it,” he posed a rhetoric question. “If they had to promulgate an ordinance anyhow, why did they waste the apex court’s time [by filing a presidential reference]?”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2021.