The maiden presidential address due at the Sindh Assembly on December 3 is likely to see some pandemonium as the newly-formed opposition alliance in the provincial legislature intends to record its protest on the historic day.
Tuesday saw the PML-F’s Sindh leadership giving a strike call for November 30 against what the party’s secretary general, Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, said the disputed legislation and insulting attitude of the PPP ministers towards the “mothers and daughters” of Sindh.
On the other hand, the PPP ministers, in an official statement, said the people of Sindh would always side with Pakistan People’s Party as they were being misled by the nationalists and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on the local government law.
Except Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), all political parties represented in the Sindh Assembly have formed a sort of coalition to resist the People’s Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2012, now an act, which, they claim, is tantamount to the division of Sindh.
Those having recently seated on the Assembly’s opposition benches include lawmakers from Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), Awami National Party (ANP), National People’s Party (NPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded (PML-Likeminded).
This may be recalled that November 15th sitting of the provincial legislature had witnessed one of the worst hooliganisms with lawmakers from the PPP and the PML-F hurling highly derogatory remarks at each other that led to the passage of a “censure resolution” by the treasury members. The lawmakers from Functional League had accused Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah and Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq of disrespecting the protesting Nusrat Seher Abbasi and Marvi Rashdi of PML-F.
The PML-F had later declared to observe Nov 30, when the lawmakers would reassemble for a second sitting, as a Black Day.
The Tuesday’s call for a province-wide strike came from the ruling PPP’s former coalition partners after a meeting of the party’s Karachi Division held here at the residence of Pir Yasir Saeen, PML-F’s Karachi chapter president.
What can be more worrisome for the PPP, however, appears to be the fact that Sheikh, the PML-F secretary general, told a post-meeting briefing that his side backed by other political partners would protest during President Asif Ali Zardari’s first ever address to the Sindh Assembly scheduled on December 3.
“During the presidential address we would protest keeping in mind the parliamentary limits and democratic norms,” Sheikh told a questioner.
Claiming to have support of all its political allies, including Sindhi nationalist parties, Sheikh earlier called upon the transporters, shopkeepers and the general public to support the strike by staying indoors on Nov 30.
Demanding resignation of the PPP ministers who had allegedly maltreated his party’s female lawmakers, the PML-F leader said the provincial government’s “threats” may not stop his side from observing the strike.
“November 30 would mark the day of a peaceful protest against the black law (PSLGO 2012) as well insult of Sindh’s mothers and daughters at the hands of Sindh’s ministers,” Sheikh said.
As the general elections are nearing fast, the political atmosphere in Sindh province is heating up with the PML-F refusing outright to even meet a reconciliation committee formed by President Zardari.
“Pir Sahb Pagara has authorised me to meet all but a government’s (reconciliation) team,” Sheikh said.
In a tit-for-tat move, Provincial Minister for Revenue Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar and Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla blasted the Sindhi nationalist parties and the PML-N for allegedly trying to misguide the people of Sindh in the name of PSLGO 2012.
In a joint statement issued here by the information department, the ministers said the democratic forces were with the PPP which would complete its constitutional tenure.
“Those who have given call for strike on 30th November are not the friends of Sindh, and the people of Sindh would not support these so-called nationalists,” said they.
The cabinet members warned that the government would deal with an iron fist with those trying to forcefully jam the wheels or close the shops on the day.
“Nobody would be allowed to play with the life and property of the masses,” they said.
