SHC approves Zulfiqar Mirza's request for security

Mirza had filed a petition seeking security after it was withdrawn following a rift with PPP leaders

Former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza’s request for security was approved by Sindh High Court on Tuesday, a day after Sindh legislators and senior leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party warned they would besiege his house for speaking against party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

“My wife, Fehmida Mirza, and I have face serious threats to our lives but our security was taken back,” Mirza said, while addressing the media outside Sindh High Court.

Earlier, the Sindh High Court had directed the provincial government and the provincial police chief to provide adequate security to the estranged PPP leader and his family members according to their entitlement.

Mirza had filed a petition in the court claiming entitlement to as he  served as home minister from 2008 to 2011 while his wife, Dr Fehmida Mirza, is currently a sitting MNA and his son, Barrister Hasnain Mirza, is a sitting member of the Sindh Assembly.

Mirza's lawyer had told the court security guards of the police department had been withdrawn on verbal orders of Asif Ali Zardari and MNA Faryal Talpur.

Mirza said he had disclosed to the media some information on corruption in the Sindh government and the PPP leadership, because of which, the government withdrew the security guards.

Claiming that non-officials have been granted official security, the former home minister questioned why Zardari’s front-man Anwar Majid has been given security and not him.

Read: Sindh police told to provide security to Zulfiqar Mirza

Unperturbed by PPP legislators’ warning, Mirza lashed out at the party once again saying, “PPP is in the hands of thieves and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari eats up the rights of the poor.”

“I am not hungry for fame nor do I need it, only Sharjeel Memon needs it,” he added.

Addressing a joint press conference at the PPP media cell, PPP parliamentarians calling Mirza a ‘backstabber’ and a ‘traitor’ warned party workers would surround his house.

Read: Hot words: PPP lawmakers lash out at Zulfiqar Mirza

The PPP lawmakers said that instead of levelling baseless allegations against the party leaders, he should make his wife, Fehmida Mirza, resign from the National Assembly and his son, Hasnain, from the Sindh Assembly.

MPA Imdad Pitafi claimed that Mirza was told by the PPP to resign from his ministry because of corruption charges. “We can also respond to the language that Mirza is using, but his language is dirty and abusive.”

Read: War of words: Upcoming Badin elections puts Mirza, Shah in crosshairs

Pitafi alleged that Mirza was involved in massive corruptions and was a bank defaulter. “He had said that he would never make his son contest the elections but he was the first one to approach Zardari for a party ticket in the last general elections,” he further said.