Political predictions - FIA’s Benazir probe is a waste: Pir

MQM likely to make important decision after Bhit Shah event, says Sheikh Rashid.

KARACHI: Pir Pagara has said that the investigation of the Benazir Bhutto murder case being carried out by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is just a “waste of time” and no one can arrest or even touch the people behind her murder.

The president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional said this while talking to the media after meeting Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who heads the Awami Muslim League, at Kingri House on Friday.

While touching on an array of politically hot topics, Pagara said that his party would support the commissionerate system bill to be presented in the Sindh Assembly. He remarked that Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam would not come to power and that after the long march there were chances of a big alliance of political parties forming against the government.

When asked about any in-house change in parliament, he said, “I will not talk on this issue, because my ‘protegee’ [the prime minister] is sitting there”. In answer to another question, he said that the doors of Kingri House were always open for prime ministers and they would welcome him. When asked about a coup against the democratic government, he replied with reference to the army, “Right now, I don’t hear the sound of long boots.” Regarding an alliance of all factions of the Muslim Leagues, he said that efforts to form a Muttahida Muslim League continued and one would most likely be formed soon.

For his part, Sheikh Rashid commented on how the Sindh coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was understanding the problems the country faced.

While referring to the politics of Pakistan Muslim League chief Nawaz Sharif, he said that only those who played within the playing field would win the race.

On the blasphemy law, which has been a topic of discussion since a Christian woman was accused under it in the Punjab, he said that an amendment to the law would hurt Muslims living all over the world and that they would oppose it at every level. He claimed that the people of Pakistan would support religious leaders against the amendment.

Rashid maintained that he had predicted that December would be crucial in terms of politics and the departure of the JUI-F from the government coalition had proven this.

“Now the MQM has to decide whether it is with the people of this country or the government,” he said. Rashid added that he was in touch with MQM chief Altaf Hussain and the party would most likely make an important decision after its Bhit Shah gathering.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2010.