Crying foul: MQM presents list of complaints to CM

Khawaja Izharul Hasan said that they will protest if the chief minister did not resolve their grievances

KARACHI:

A day after announcing their decision to withdraw their resignations from the Sindh Assembly, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers met Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to register complaints against the arrests of their candidates contesting the upcoming local government elections as well as miscreants threatening voters in their constituencies.

Khawaja Izharul Hasan, who was serving as opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, spoke to the media outside CM House. He said that they will protest if the chief minister did not resolve their grievances. "These terrorists are causing panic and fear in our areas. We want free and fair elections, which cannot be held in such an environment," he said.

The opposition leader, who was flanked by Syed Sardar Ahmed, who served as parliamentary leader of the party and MPA Dr Arshad Vohra, added that they had no reservations over the deployment of army and Rangers. "We have never ever called the chief minister powerless. He is the chief executive of the province and can address our concerns," said Hasan.

PPP leader Nisar Khuhro and minister for parliamentary affairs, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, also attended the meeting. Khuhro told the media that MQM's genuine issues will be resolved after investigating if their arrested workers were innocent.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2015.