Two days before the Sindh government is scheduled to present the provincial budget for 2011-2012, both the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) ratcheted up the pressure on the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – the former doing so inside the Sindh Assembly and the latter outside.
The MQM and ANP had been at loggerheads over the kidnapping of Muttahida MPA Aleem-ur-Rehman: the MQM had claimed that ANP “goons” had kidnapped and tortured their MPA from Jamshed Town while the ANP had accused the MQM of being a terrorist entity. While both parties were initially traded barbs though press conferences, the debate subsequently reached the Sindh Assembly.
On Wednesday, MQM MPA Abdul Moeed reminded Speaker Nisar Khuhro about his pledge that he will remind the government of the matter if it remained unresolved. In fact, Speaker Khuhro had chaired a meeting on Tuesday between the PPP, MQM and CCPO, where the progress of the kidnapping case was discussed.
ANP offices had been shut a few days earlier, sparking protests from the party. The ANP decided on Wednesday that it will boycott the Sindh Assembly budget session until the reservations of the party are not addressed.
In a statement issued from Bacha Khan Markaz, ANP-Sindh spokesperson Qadir Khan stated party chief Shahi Syed after meeting the party’s central leadership in Islamabad has decided that the ANP will not attend budget session in Sindh Assembly and will also boycott Senate and National Assembly proceedings on the behavior of the Sindh government. “Until the reservations of the party are not resolved, the boycott will continue,” Khan added.
Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik held a meeting with Shahi Syed, asking him to review his decision over the boycott. Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also contacted him, but the ANP’s provincial chief refused to take back the party’s decision until its grievances and issues are not settled.
Shahi Syed had complained about registration of fake FIRs against his party activists; illegal raids on ANP ward offices in Karachi; the behavior of Sindh government; and the restoration of sacked KESC employees.
“Further decision can be taken by the central leadership of the ANP,” added Khan.
