Unnamed “institutions” came under fire on Monday for “coward” attempts to derail the present reconciliation-driven democratic government as some lawmakers in the Sindh Assembly complained of receiving life-threatening text messages (SMS) on their cell phones for supporting a resolution passed in the provincial legislature condemning the Mohajir province campaign.
“Please allow me to read out the anonymous threatening message that I and some other members have received for supporting the resolution against a separate Mohajir province,” PML-F’s Nusrat Seher Abbasi asked Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, who allowed the floor to the lawmaker but did not allow her to recite the SMS.
“We are the daughters of Sindh and will never be afraid of such threats,” she declared.
While Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro looked unhappy with Abbasi for making the message public, the PPP’s deputy speaker quoted her party’s “martyrs”, saying that “Mur Wesoon, Sindh Na Desoon” (We would love to die, but won’t give up Sindh).
Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan said that some previous anti-Sindh governments had been depriving the province of its due shares in terms of National Finance Commission awards, water distribution, etc.
He said the ruling coalition partners were on the same page on the issue of the Mohajir province and agreed that the issue must not be given any importance. “No one should worry about Sindh,” he added.
The rhetoric, however, did not go down well with Sindh Food Minister Nadir Magsi, who demanded action against those responsible. “This is a plot. We should look into this as we have the technology [to trace out the message senders]. So nab and hang one to deter others,” he said.
The home minter assured the House of action against the culprits but that, he later told reporters, would take some time. “The [anonymous cell phone] numbers have been furnished to us to be worked on,” he said.
He said that some elements were trying to pit different communities against each other on the basis of language. “The police have been tasked to move,” he added.
During the session, MQM’s parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Sardar Ahmed rejected the “wrong statements” reported by some newspapers and the impression that his party had remained silent on the resolution against a Mohajir province. “We were not approached by anyone on the tabling of the resolution but still we approved it and Moeen condemned it in a statement,” he said. “Those saying the MQM was silent are absolutely incorrect,” he added.
The deputy speaker, however, appeared disapproving when the MQM leader said his party’s view on the issue was very clear and should not be twisted.
PPP’s parliamentary party leader Pir Mazaharul Haq and the Sindh law minister slammed the “coward” elements for conspiring against the prevailing reconciliatory climate in the province.
Haq said that some forces were following the policy of “divide and rule” to fulfil their designs. “Deplorably, some institutions are part of those forces who don’t want to let the present democratic system run smoothly,” he added.
He said the people sitting in the institutions do not want to allow democracy flourish in the country.
Soomro went a step further to criticise the Sharif brothers for the unmasking of their “black faces” in the Mehran Bank scandal. “The so-called nationalists and Mians can be silenced well but we have confidence in our leadership,” he said.
Later, the members raised various issues on a point of order.
MQM’s Saifuddin Khalid said that two youngsters, Adil and Faheem, from Haryana Colony of Orangi Town were kidnapped and killed last Saturday after they had left their homes for the Shershah market. Such incidents are detrimental to the peace of the city, he added.
Saleem Khursheed Khokhar called for the recovery of the two Christian employees of a Korean hospital, who were kidnapped in Orangi Town on the 29th of last month.
MQM lawmaker Heer Soho, though without quoting names, blasted “some members” – Sassui Palijo and Humera Alwani – for maligning her party’s reputation by their statements on Friday. “Altaf Hussain has clearly condemned all demands for the division of Sindh,” an enraged Soho protested.
The chair, however, turned the guns towards the newspapers which, she claimed, were publishing such statements to increase their circulation.
Before calling it a day until Tuesday (today), the chair informed the lawmakers that the briefing of NADRA and election commission officials would be held at the Committee Room Number 1 of the assembly building at 3:00 pm.
