Sindh Assembly session: Bilawal posing with 'criminal' upsets opposition

Lawmakers question Sindh government's commitment to rid the province of crime

KARACHI: As photos of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari posing with an alleged criminal made rounds at the Sindh Assembly on Friday, the lawmakers questioned the government's commitment to eradicate crime from the province.

The two-hour-long debate began when opposition leader Shaharyar Mahar moved an adjournment motion to discuss the law and order situation in Sindh. Mahar distributed pamphlets and photos of Bilawal posing with a man from Shikarpur who is allegedly wanted in five murders. "Will the incumbent government control law and order through these dacoits?" he asked.

"[This man] is on the hit-list of the police and law enforcement agencies who are conducting raids to arrest this man," claimed Mahar, asking how he will be arrested now given his connections with those sitting in power.

In one of the photos, the alleged criminal was posing with Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, who was not perturbed. "Everything was fine until he was with you. You are making a fuss now because he joined [our party]," said Durrani.



Mahar responded that his party does not support criminals. He pointed out that the hometowns of several lawmakers, such as Khairpur, Larkana, Kashmore and Jacobabad, are notorious for kidnappings and other crimes and influential people from these areas are involved in this lucrative business. "Please stop such people from joining politics otherwise you will never be able to bring peace in the province."

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional's Mehtab Rashdi claimed that Sindh gives the look of Balochistan as people go missing and their mutilated bodies are found later. "In this democratic government, we also witness extrajudicial killings of those who have done nothing wrong," she said, asking the government if it dares to inquire into such cases. Rashdi mentioned the recent kidnapping of a young political activist, Sarvesh Pirzada, from Regal Chowk, Karachi, and the kidnapping of the nephews of the chief minister's adviser, Sohrab Marri.

Better policing

Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) Waqar Shah pointed out how the weapons given to the law enforcers have started to rust and the vehicles are not road worthy. "There is no health or education facility for the police personnel and their salaries are not enough," he said, urging the government to increase incentives.

Shah suggested putting an end to the trend of highest bidders getting appointed as SHOs.  "Not a single SHO is appointed in Karachi on merit. These thanas are sold at a fixed price," he said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Sorath Thebo spoke about extortion being collected from bureaucrats inside Sindh Secretariat as the law enforcers merely watched. She added that similar conditions are witnessed in other public organisations.

'Forced' conversions

Several lawmakers also wanted to take up the issue of forced conversions of girls belonging to minority communities. "We should make a committee that can submit monthly or quarterly reports on the law and order situation in the province," said MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed, adding that the government should start the institutional development of the police force and impose fixed tenures. "SHOs are transferred every three months. You cannot control the situation with this style of governance," he said.

Meanwhile, PPP's Sharjeel Memon and Manzoor Wasan presented 'facts' on the government's progress. "No one can prove a single case of political victimisation in the province," claimed Wasan.

Memon claimed the police are doing a good job by arresting criminals but it is the courts that are 'creating a problem'. The federal government promised money but it has failed to release any, he said.

After the debate, the speaker adjourned the session till Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2014.