'Extra-judicial' killings: Worker’s death turns MQM into an angry opposition

KARACHI: MQM demands registration of murder FIR against Sindh CM

After it withdrew its strike call for Monday, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) decided to use the Sindh Assembly as a platform to condemn the extra-judicial killing of its worker.

The party donned the role of an angry opposition, unlike its friendly demeanour witnessed on the opposition benches in the last few years. The MQM lawmakers entered the House wearing black armbands as a sign of protest against the killing of their worker, Muhammad Hashim, who had gone missing in May and was found dead on Sunday.

During the Fateha period, a large number of MQM MPAs condemned his killing and demanded the government expose the people behind it. The tension in the House worsened soon after when MQM's Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the opposition leader, sought time to brief the House about Hashim's death. "The CM, who is the captain of this ongoing operation, is also sitting in the session, therefore we need a few minutes of this House," he said.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani pointed out that the MQM lawmakers had already spent a lot of time speaking on the issue. "Let me run the House as per the rules," he said, telling them that he will give them a chance to speak later. His response did not sit well with the MQM lawmakers who waved photos of the deceased worker and demanded time to speak.

After consulting with the CM, parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said, "No doubt this is a horrific murder and we also condemn it but the issue has now come to the knowledge of this House and the government assures a probe into the matter."

The MQM MPAs were not satisfied and eventually made their way to the CM's seat, all the time waving Hashim's photos. A few MPAs stood in front of the speaker's podium and shouted slogans, such as 'Zalimon jawab do, khoon ka hisab do [Tyrants, answer us, justify the bloodshed]'.

Information minister Nisar Khuhro felt this was not the right way to mark their protest. "It is tantamount to [an] attack on the chief minister and harassment," he said, as he asked the MQM lawmakers to take to their seats. But the MQM MPAs stood their ground and the CM watched silently as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPAs rushed to the premier's seat and formed a chain around him.

"We cannot let anyone hijack the House and get dictation," said Mandhro. "The government has assured to resolve the mystery of the murder and the chief minister can brief the House on it, but this is no way to express anger."

Durrani requested the MQM members to return to their seats, but they refused. So he adjourned the session for 10 minutes.

Once the session started again, Khuhro condemned MQM's attitude. "The entire country is watching this drama being staged inside," he said. "Holding pictures in front of the CM, using derogatory language, is not a democratic attitude."

Resolution against Zardari

Another pandemonium was witnessed when the speaker allowed MQM MPA Heer Ismail Soho to move a motion against a jirga held by a PPP MPA in Ghotki. When she was given time to read out her motion, Soho chose instead to read a resolution tabled by the MQM against PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. Upset with this move, the PPP lawmakers demanded the speaker switch off the microphones of their MQM counterparts. As the MQM workers shouted slogans of 'Go Zardari, Go', the speaker adjourned the session till Tuesday.

MQM demands FIR against CM 

Following the Sindh Assembly session on Monday, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement demanded the FIR of Muhammad Hashim’s murder to be lodged against the chief minister.

Speaking to the media, MQM’s Azeem Farooqui said their worker, Hashim, went missing from outside Nine Zero three months ago. “The chief minister, who is the captain of this ongoing operation is responsible for it,” he said. “Not only Hashim but 130 of our workers are missing and 700 have been jailed.”

Farooqui was thankful to the Rangers DG for assuring them of their help in arresting the killers.

In response, information minister Nisar Khuhro held the MQM responsible for creating ‘disorder’ in the session. “Today, they have broken all past records of violating the rules,” he said.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said later that he was ready to brief the House about the murder but the MQM members had already decided to create disorder. “The family of Muhammad Hashim have simply lodged an FIR against unidentified person and the autopsy report also has confirmed that there was no torture marks on the body of the deceased,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2015.