Former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza – affectionately titled ‘Sher-e-Sindh’ by his supporters after his outburst against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – is scheduled to return to the country today (Sunday) after ‘holidaying’ abroad for almost a month.
With his constituency – Badin – one of the worst-hit from recent rains and flooding with the people living under open skies, the ex-minister’s departure to Dubai along with his wife – National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza – on September 12 had raised several questions.
Some media reports suggested that the NA speaker left the country to skip the assembly session to avoid facing possible criticism of her spouse for his tirade against the MQM and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Initially, Mirza had left for Dubai but after his wife returned, he proceeded to Malaysia.
However, Mirza’s departure and return do have some odd coincidences or relevancies.
Soon after the Supreme Court (SC) initiated suo motu proceedings over Karachi violence, he left the country. Only after two days of the SC’s verdict announcement, the former provincial minister is making a comeback.
When Mirza left the country, the MQM was not in the government and now, as the MQM rejoined the government on Thursday, the former minister will be back in the country.
The media has already got his reactions on both the developments from abroad. About the SC’s verdict, Mirza said the apex court had endorsed his stance on Karachi killings in the suo motu case. His reaction on MQM’s return to the government was that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will not benefit from the party’s return to the coalition.
Meanwhile, the Lyari-based outfit, People’s Amn Committee (PAC) – whom Mirza openly supports – and the ex-minister’s sympathisers in the PPP and some other political groups are set to offer him a warm welcome on his return from Malaysia at the Karachi airport on Sunday afternoon.
The PAC on Saturday formally announced that it will offer a warm reception to Mirza on his arrival from abroad.
One of his friends, Dr Shams Shoro, has even published an advertisement in a local Sindhi daily newspaper, asking the public to participate in Mirza’s reception.
Mirza – President Asif Ali Zardari’s close friend – has gained enormous popularity among the people after openly criticising the MQM. Even though his own party, PPP, has again joined hands with what Mirza claims a ‘terrorist party’, he has continued his stance against the party.
The former Sindh home minister is likely to restart his political activities, especially in Lyari and other Baloch-dominated areas of Karachi.
Fresh from holidays, ‘Sher-e-Sindh’ to roar again?
