Expressing concern over the prevailing law and order situation, especially in Karachi, several Sindh Assembly (SA) members, during the ongoing budget discussion, demanded that the provincial government reinstates Dr Zulfiqar Mirza as the Home Minister.
Surprisingly, the demand for bringing back Mirza came not only from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) benches but also from the members of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and PML-Quaid (PML-Q).
Mirza also remained under discussion in the Sindh Assembly’s press gallery, precisely due to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s statement against the former minister on television channels and the PPP’s reaction, which circulated among the journalists.
Participating in the general discussion on Sindh Budget 2011-12, PML-F’s Ghulam Ali Nizamani remarked that the law enforcement agencies have been paralysed and ‘the home minister is being sorely missed in the current situation.’
“I wish [Mirza] returns and takes back the charge of Home Department,” he added.
PPP’s Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto said Mirza had played an important role in maintaining the law and order situation of the province. Another PPP lawmaker Jam Tamachi said he salutes the former home minister as the situation during his tenure was not so bad [as of today]. PPP’s Javed Shah appealed that Mirza comes back on his position.
From the PML-likeminded group, Chetan Mal, said the law and order situation has worsened and demanded that the government either restores the service of Mirza or appoints another person as home minister because the people do not have access to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who presently holds the home portfolio.
SA Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, however, came to the rescue of chief minister, claiming that the Home Department mostly remains with the chief minister in a government but ‘dictators had separated this portfolio.’
BUDGET DISCUSSION: Earlier, criticising the government’s plan to build the new city of Zulfikarabad in limits of Thatta district, Chetan Mal said it was against the interests of the local population as outsiders would come in the area and may occupy their lands.
Participating in the discussion, PPP’s Dr Sikandar Shoro said that over 60 percent funds meant for development schemes are being distributed as ‘legal and illegal commissions.’ He demanded that the government constitutes monitoring committees to oversee performance of teachers and doctors in government’s educational institutions and hospitals, respectively.
Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto of PPP also showed concern over what he said the presence of 1.3 million migrants in the Karachi from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and other areas of the country. According to him, the province’s economy was being affected due to the burden of this population.
Bhutto also complained about the irregularities reported during the house enumeration process and demanded that the government should take steps for rectifying the problem.
MQM’s Khalid Ahmed said the government has also not allocated funds for districts on equal basis in the new budget. Mentioning the influx of outsiders in Karachi, he asked the government to take the issue seriously and demanded steps for improving the law and order situation and holding local government elections.
