NA session: Mehmood Achakzai seeks to resurrect the May 12 spectre
Calls Karachi ‘city of terrorists’; MQM MPs hit back, demand apology from PkMAP chief.
File photo of Mehmood Khan Achakzai. PHOTO: NNI
ISLAMABAD:
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai came under scathing criticism on Wednesday from Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmakers for calling Karachi ‘a city of terrorists’.
“We condemn this statement and demand an apology [from Achakzai],” said Sajid Ahmed of the MQM during the National Assembly session. Other lawmakers from his party endorsed Ahmed’s criticism.
Achakzai demanded an inquiry into the wanton killing of political workers on May 12, 2007 when Pervez Musharraf was in power.
“Don’t forget our people were also killed on May 12,” Ahmed said while addressing Achakzai. He claimed that the MQM has always been subjected to false accusations. “Nadeem Hashmi’s release has once again vindicated our stance,” he added.
Hashmi, a former MPA of the MQM, was arrested on murder and terrorism charges during the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi earlier this month. However, a court acquitted him of all charges on Tuesday.
Referring to the past military operations and reported existence of the Mohajir Liberation Army, Ahmed said: “Several attempts have been made in the past [to discredit the MQM] and if you want to use the May 12 incident to crush the MQM, we are ready to face. Go file a case in the Supreme Court.”
Other MQM lawmakers also taunted Achakzai about the fluid security situation in Balochistan where Achakzai’s brother is the governor.
Earlier, Achakzai volunteered to register a case for initiating an inquiry into the May 12 killings: “If no one is ready to come forward, then I’m ready to register an FIR for investigations.”
“You [government] cannot govern the country unless there is an inquiry into the incident,” he said inviting Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s attention to the matter.
Achakzai also claimed that delimitation of Karachi constituencies were fake as representatives of other communities were never elected.
While referring to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Achakzai said the agreement abused the word ‘reconciliation’ as 8,300 ‘criminals’ were freed under this controversial law which was subsequently struck down by the top court.
YouTube ban and 3G auction
In other proceedings, Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Nafeesa Shah urged the government to take steps for lifting the ban on popular social-networking website YouTube. “It is quite unfortunate that despite promises and 100 days of the government, the ban has not been lifted,” she said.
She clarified that the previous PPP government had blocked the website in the backdrop of worldwide protests over a sacrilegious video. “I don’t think the website is now blocked anywhere in the world except Pakistan,” she added.
Shah also questioned about the status of 3G auction.
Although Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman was present in the house, she did not update the house about what steps her ministry had taken in this regard.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2013.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai came under scathing criticism on Wednesday from Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmakers for calling Karachi ‘a city of terrorists’.
“We condemn this statement and demand an apology [from Achakzai],” said Sajid Ahmed of the MQM during the National Assembly session. Other lawmakers from his party endorsed Ahmed’s criticism.
Achakzai demanded an inquiry into the wanton killing of political workers on May 12, 2007 when Pervez Musharraf was in power.
“Don’t forget our people were also killed on May 12,” Ahmed said while addressing Achakzai. He claimed that the MQM has always been subjected to false accusations. “Nadeem Hashmi’s release has once again vindicated our stance,” he added.
Hashmi, a former MPA of the MQM, was arrested on murder and terrorism charges during the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi earlier this month. However, a court acquitted him of all charges on Tuesday.
Referring to the past military operations and reported existence of the Mohajir Liberation Army, Ahmed said: “Several attempts have been made in the past [to discredit the MQM] and if you want to use the May 12 incident to crush the MQM, we are ready to face. Go file a case in the Supreme Court.”
Other MQM lawmakers also taunted Achakzai about the fluid security situation in Balochistan where Achakzai’s brother is the governor.
Earlier, Achakzai volunteered to register a case for initiating an inquiry into the May 12 killings: “If no one is ready to come forward, then I’m ready to register an FIR for investigations.”
“You [government] cannot govern the country unless there is an inquiry into the incident,” he said inviting Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s attention to the matter.
Achakzai also claimed that delimitation of Karachi constituencies were fake as representatives of other communities were never elected.
While referring to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Achakzai said the agreement abused the word ‘reconciliation’ as 8,300 ‘criminals’ were freed under this controversial law which was subsequently struck down by the top court.
YouTube ban and 3G auction
In other proceedings, Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Nafeesa Shah urged the government to take steps for lifting the ban on popular social-networking website YouTube. “It is quite unfortunate that despite promises and 100 days of the government, the ban has not been lifted,” she said.
She clarified that the previous PPP government had blocked the website in the backdrop of worldwide protests over a sacrilegious video. “I don’t think the website is now blocked anywhere in the world except Pakistan,” she added.
Shah also questioned about the status of 3G auction.
Although Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman was present in the house, she did not update the house about what steps her ministry had taken in this regard.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2013.