KARACHI – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) provincial assembly members boycotted Sindh Assembly proceedings on Monday to protest Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s remarks that the People’s Aman Committee was a sub-organisation of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). However, PPP assembly members warmly welcomed Dr Mirza on his arrival in the House. The MQM Rabita Committee had announced earlier on Monday that its MPAs would not attend the session. Dr Mirza was accorded a hero’s welcome as he entered the assembly floor, as PPP MPAs thumped their desks and the party’s female lawmakers stood up to show their respect.
An emotionally-charged female MPA of the PPP went on to declare Dr Mirza “Sher-e-Karachi”. Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro later adjourned the session till Thursday. Dr Mirza told reporters after the House proceedings that the media had misinterpreted the speech he had delivered at a public meeting held to observe the death anniversary of the party’s former MPA, Abdullah Murad Baloch. He said that he was talking in a general sense about the revision of cases instituted falsely or on political grounds, and this was not particularly meant for those belonging to the Aman Committee.
