Qureshi warns PPP against playing ethnic card

–FM tells NA session ‘it was not reasonable for Bilawal to speak about ‘Sindhu desh’ and ‘Pakhtunistan’

–Says ‘we have no intention to mess with [PPP] government in Sindh for no reason’

 

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday urged National Assembly members from Sindh not to create an impression for the world that there is “a wave of provincial discrimination” in Pakistan.

In a reference to remarks made by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Qureshi told the Lower House of parliament that it was not reasonable for Bilawal to speak about “Sindhu desh” and “Pakhtunistan“.

“Those who spoke about Pakhtunistan, pit gae (were defeated); those who speak about Sindhu desh will also be defeated,” he warned.

“I am hopeful that every Sindhi will support Pakistan,” he said.

Qureshi’s remarks come after Bilawal on Thursday lashed out at the federal government for “trying to occupy Karachi” following Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem’s statement that the Centre was considering taking over the administrative affairs of Karachi through a little-known constitutional provision.

“This country has already been broken once in the past when Islamabad tried to control a state,” he said in reference to the secession of Dhaka. “It’s not like those people were less patriotic than you or me […] If PPP and other like-minded parties don’t stand up, tomorrow, separate Sindhi and Pashtun states might be formed,” Bilawal had warned.

Addressing members of the National Assembly from Sindh, Qureshi said: “You should have no fear; Sindh is an important unit of this country.”

“I am giving a policy statement on behalf of this government: we have respected the Constitution in the past, we respect it now, and will continue to do so.

“We have no intentions to mess with your government for no reason,” he assured.

Additionally, Qureshi said that Dr Naseem had clarified his remarks regarding invoking Article 149 in Karachi. The foreign minister said that Dr Naseem had said his remarks on the matter were being distorted and misrepresented and now that the minister had issued a clarification, there was nothing to be fearful of.

The provision Article 149(4) reads: “The executive authority of the federation shall also extend to the giving of directions to a province as to the manner in which the executive authority thereof is to be exercised for the purpose of preventing any grave menace to the peace or tranquillity or economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof.”

While addressing the ruckus caused by the opposition during the joint sitting of the parliament on Thursday, Qureshi said that opposition leaders had the right to raise the matter of production orders for various MNAs who were under arrest. However, yesterday they created the impression that the issue was given preference over the Kashmir issue, he added.

During President Arif Alvi’s constitutionally mandated address to a joint sitting of parliament, the opposition started raising slogans of “Go Niazi Go” — targeted at Prime Minister Imran Khan and held up pictures of the various leaders under arrest.

“The protest remained ongoing during the president’s speech which gave the impression that the issue of production orders was given preference over the Kashmir issue, which the whole world is focussed on,” Qureshi said.

“You can raise it over and over again if you want to, that is your prerogative but to drag it to that extent was not in good taste I think,” he added.