MPAs pass resolution to condemn loss of lives at Abbas Town

MQM lawmakers stage token walkout after PPP legislators accuse them of ‘politicising’ victims.

KARACHI: Wednesday’s session of the Sindh Assembly was supposed to be a short one to mourn the death of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Rafique Engineer, but PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPAs could not help but blame each other for poor governance and inept policing.

To express their anger at the Abbas Town tragedy, the MQM lawmakers also staged a token walkout from the assembly. The PPP legislators insisted, however, that the MQM was using the Abbas Town tragedy as a political tool. On the first day of having an opposition leader in the assembly, the MQM has launched an “immature” propaganda campaign, said an MPA.

After the speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro began the session, all MPAs belonging to both the treasury and opposition benches paid tribute to their deceased colleague, Rafique Engineer. Soon after, the MQM MPAs moved another resolution condemning the bomb blast at Abbas Town.

“Our intelligence agencies had informed the provincial government about this incident, but state machinery did nothing to prevent the tragedy,” said MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed, the newly appointed opposition leader. PPP’s parliamentary leader Pir Mazharul Haq criticised MQM members in response. “It is not fair to start politics on the martyrs of Abbas Town,” he said. “This resolution mourns the death of innocent people. Stop trying to secure points on this, it gives a wrong message.”



Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, who belongs to the PPP, diverted the speaker’s attention towards the Sindh Assembly practice of not taking up other issues during the session when the house has lost one of its members. “We have given a chance to the MQM and other MPAs from our party to present resolutions on this barbaric incident but we cannot debate on it today,” he said.

However, MQM’s Khawaja Izharul Hassan insisted that as politicians it was their prime responsibility to raise this issue. Soon after, the MQM members walked out of the house condemning the government ministers for visiting the blast site but failing to arrest the culprits.

While the MQM MPAs were still outside the hall, Haq asked the speaker to pass the resolution without them. As soon as he stopped talking, the MQM members walked back in, explaining that it was just a token walkout.

19 victims from Khairpur Mirs

According to deputy speaker Shehla Raza, around 19 people who were killed in Abbas Town belonged to Khairpur Mirs district, which is the hometown of the chief minister. The government played its role and coordinated with religious leaders and other stakeholders to bring the situation to normalcy. “We also know those elements that created the anarchy. This is totally ridiculous,” she said.



Later, the house adopted the Abbas Town resolution moved by MQM MPA Dr Irshad A. Vohra and PPP MPA Dr Sikandar Mandhro, calling it an inhumane act. Opposition leader Syed Sardar Ahmed and MQM deputy parliamentary leader Faisal Subzwari later briefed the media on why they walked out of the session.

Tribute for Rafique Engineer

The assembly also passed a unanimous resolution paying rich tribute to PPP MPA Rafique Engineer who passed away on Tuesday. The MPAs demanded the government make a law to take care of the families of the sitting MPAs who die. “There is a provision in the rules of the Sindh Assembly and the government can financially help their family members,” Pir Mazharul Haq said.

Ahmed suggested displaying the name plates and photos of the deceased MPAs in the main corridor of the provincial assembly as a token of appreciation for their services. The session was adjourned till Thursday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2013.