The Senate on Monday passed a resolution with majority asking the government to deweaponise of Karachi in view of the prevailing law and order in the city.
The senators of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were caught napping when the resolution was put for voting as only Col (r) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi opposed the passage of the resolution and said instead of deweaponisation of Karachi only, the entire country should be deweaponised.
However, Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari rejected the resolution, stating that Mashhadi was not backed by his colleagues. Apparently, the MQM senators were happy with the reconciliatory gesture of Senator Azam Khan Hoti of the ANP, who had shook hands with MQM leader Babar Khan Ghauri for peace in Karachi. The resolution was moved by Senator Shahi Syed of the ANP on April 30.
Taking part in the debate earlier, Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N regretted the fact that imambargahs and mosques were being attacked during the holy month of Muharram and the people were not being provided security.
He said no one was Shia or Sunni among the general public and the vested interests were being promoted to keep the people divided. Azam Khan Hoti said it was true that the MQM was targeted in operation clean up conducted in Karachi in 1992 that did not resolve the Karachi situation. He said deweaponisation of Karachi was a gigantic task and it could not be achieved even in 10 years. Shaking hands with MQM’s Babar Ghauri, Hoti said his party would cooperate with the MQM for peace in Karachi. Senator Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party (NP) said no political party could work in Karachi without having a militant wing.
He alleged that the former dictator General Ziaul Haq had distributed weapons in Karachi through Jamaat-e-Islami. Bizenjo said innocent people were being killed in Karachi and the situation could not be improved without the will and vision of the government. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the PML-Q said the Rangers Sindh DG had informed the Senate committee on human rights recently that major political parties had militant wings.
He said the local body system provided a buffer for controlling law and order and the absence of a local body system in Karachi was a major reason for the worsening situation. Mushahid said Karachi was the future of Pakistan and we could not allow man-made problems to threaten the future of the country. “If Azam Hoti and Babar Ghauri can have a sincere shake of hands, they can also achieve peace in Karachi,” he concluded.
PPP’s Barrister Aitzaz Ahsen said licenced weapons were not used in criminal activities and only unlicenced weapons were used for this purpose. He called for banning the display of licenced weapons, while unlicenced weapons should be confiscated. Ahsen said there was a need for the political leadership to sit together and evolve joint strategy for dealing with militancy. Senator Zahid Khan of the ANP said there was a need to fight the menace of extremism, adding that drone attacks were being conducted against “good Taliban”, while the “bad Taliban” were not being attacked.
Haji Adeel Ahmed of the ANP said all relevant institutions had failed to maintain peace in Karachi and suggested that licences of all kinds of weapons should be cancelled in Karachi to ensure
peace, adding that if workers of his party had been issued licences, they should be cancelled first of all to set an example.
Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Mustafa Kamal of the MQM said incidents of killings were taking place throughout the country in various forms due to the misuse of weapons. They said not only Karachi, but the whole country should be deweaponised in order to stop killings and terrorist activities.
Senator Kalsoom Parveen said there should be a complete ban on weapons, including legal weapons. She said that the three main parties – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and MQM – should sit together to find a solution to the problem.
Earlier, the PML-N staged a token out walkout from the session over the report on “The 22nd Constitution Amendment Bill 2012”.
The report approved by the Senate’s committee on law and justice was laid in the House by Senator M Kazim.
Speaking on a point of order, Zafar Ali Shah of the PML-N said “The 22nd Constitution Amendment Bill 2012” was not a routine bill but a very important bill, as it was related to constitutional amendment. He said if there was some emergency with regard to the report, time should have been sorted earlier.
Haji Adeel Ahmed of the ANP also objected to the tabling of the report and was of the view that unnecessary haste was being made.
Try to start this weaponizing movement and one can apprehend what will be its consequences.
first armed all and then making noise of unarmed them on urgent basis.Just like as for years Pakistan follow Talibanisation and now years of anti Taliban movement has been started and we are all seeing its side effects on common person.
This is the best suggestion so far proposed by the senate for Karachi situation.But if agreed,may I dare to add that deweaponisation plus complete activities ban must be imposed on some political and religious parties for ever to avoid further clash in Karachi.PPP,ANP and MQM MUST BE COMPLETELY BANNED IN KARACHI as they are very hostile,provoking and bhatta baz parties.Only neutral and noble personalities must be allowed to serve the people of Karachi.
This is just a turf war & in the bargain innocent people are being killed…all 3 major parties must sit & divide the city into 3 zones, with complete understanding not to harass any citizens living in these 3 areas – whoever they may be….they must make non MQM or no urdu speaking people to live in peace in MQM majority area & likewise PPP & ANP should resolve to do same….after all does`nt hindu & muslims live side by side in India..if there is killings or disturbances between hindus & muslims in India is understandable because of ideological differences yet there has not been less such incidents compared to what we in Karachi are facing, but here in Pakistan especially Karachi muslim killings muslims….very shameful.
If there is a third force, why the govt is unable to expose till today ?
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