Backlash: MQM senators stage walkout over blackout

Senator Mashadi expresses gratitude to God for the opportunity to sit on opposition benches.

ISLAMABAD:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – the newest opposition political party – staged a walkout on Monday from the Senate against the nationwide power breakdown on Monday.

Speaking on a point of order, Senator Col (retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, parliamentary leader of the MQM in the upper house, said that the government has pushed the whole nation into darkness by inducting incompetent people in the power sector, who are responsible for the blackout that shocked the nation on Sunday night.

Before starting speaking on the point of order, Mashadi expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to sit on the opposition benches, which he stated was his “cherished desire for the last many years”.

He said that the government not only pushed the country into darkness through load-shedding, but it is also determined to deprive the people of the “light of education” by opposing the creation of new universities in the country. He was alluding to remarks by Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, in which he is believed to have opposed the establishment of a university in Hyderabad.

The MQM leader said it was the incompetence of the government, which hired unqualified people, who have failed to run the power sector effectively, resulting in a complete blackout across the country.



Senator Mashhadi said had the government appointed competent people, the breakdown of power could have been averted, adding that when one Hubco Power Plant broke down due to a technical failure, other power plants were shut down in order to prevent any damage to their respective systems, thus pushing major parts of the country into darkness.

Bills passed

The house also unanimously passed three bills to establish private universities in the country. These include The Darul Madina International University Islamabad Bill, 2013, the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute University Islamabad Bill, 2013 and the MY University Islamabad Bill, 2013.

The legislative bills were moved by PPP Senator Saeed Ghani and were passed with a majority.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2013.