KARACHI, Aug 4: Fireworks erupted in the City Council on Monday when an opposition leader belonging to the Al-Khidmat group drew the attention of the presiding officer towards what he described as the “bogey of Talibanisation being created in the city” and demanded serious action against “this propaganda campaign”.
The opposition leader alleged that the United States and its “lackeys” were behind this sinister campaign, adding that “it was part of a conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan.”
The treasury members, however, warned the people against what they called nefarious designs of those elements who were promoting militancy in the name of Talibanisation and urged the government to take urgent steps to curb the menace.
Describing Islam as a religion of peace, they said it stood for brotherhood and complete harmony among all sections of Muslim society. The issue was raised by Rafiq Ahmed, leader of the Al-Khidmat panel, on a point of order when the house resumed its session presided over by Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil.
Initiating the debate, the Al-Khidmat leader said: “Under a sinister plan, we are being repeatedly warned about a so-called impending Tabanisation threat in the city.”
He dismissed the claim as sheer propaganda and alleged that the US now wanted to extend the “destabilization process” from border areas to Karachi.
“Apparently,” Mr Ahmed said, “we see no threat to peace in Karachi.” He added that these reports were baseless. In support of his contention, Mr Ahmed said the Sindh chief minister had already dismissed these reports. However, he said, if there was any threat to law and order from any quarter it was the responsibility of the law-enforcement agencies to expose the activities of such elements.
Masood Mehmud, leader of the Haq Parast panel, argued that “the Talibanisation threat to Karachi was not imaginary. He said it was disclosed recently when some militant leaders in Swat threatened to strike in any part of Pakistan if the latter did not stop military action in Swat and Fata.
The Haq Parast leader also protested against the recent visit of Umme Hassan, wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz, to Karachi, saying that she visited various madrassahs here and “preached violence”.
Reacting to the remarks of Mr Mehmud, Al-Khidmat panel leader Islamuddin said every Pakistani had a right to travel in any part of the country and nobody should have any objection to it. He said Umme Hassan had exposed the killings of innocent girls and the way they had been maltreated. He regretted that instead of expressing solidarity with her, some city council members were protesting against her visit.
Islamuddin’s speech created an uproar in the treasury benches and there were exchanges of hot words between the two sides. The convener tried to calm them down.
City-related issues
Taking the floor, Abdul Jalil of the Haq Parast panel said the house should take up the urgent city-related issues which were more important than the woman’s visit. He suggested that the issue be debated in a separate session specially summoned for that purpose.
Opposition member Advocate Saifuddin alleged that the city government had imported 200 costly mechanical machines for sweeping, which were lying at the port for clearance. He termed it sheer waste of money as he claimed that most sweeping in the city was done manually and there was no need to import such expensive machines.
Yusuf Naz of the Awam Dost Group condemned the CDGK for its failure to control the spread of the dengue virus despite its claims last year that the virus had been eliminated.
Another opposition leader raised the issue of withholding the matric results of three schools in Sahibdad Goth in Malir, saying that nobody would have any objection to taking action against students involved in cheating but it should not mean that we must punish all students.
Ramzan Awan of the Al-Khidmat panel also complained that a pumping station of his union council had been out of order for quite some time despite his repeated requests to the engineers concerned. He urged the convener to personally look into the matter.
Tension prevailed in the house with the emotional outburst of Ahsan Siddiqui of the Haq Parast panel when he recalled the post-Benazir murder events, saying that houses were looted and many people were maimed and wounded in the mayhem. He said all those who lived in Karachi were the same as they had common interests. Equally, he said, “we condemn the acts being perpetrated in Swat”.
Mr Siddiqui said that it was the responsibility of all segments of society in Karachi to maintain peace in the city.
However, a woman councillor of the Awam Dost Panel, Zarina Baloch, reminded the Haq Parast leader that whatever had happened in the country after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto was a natural reaction.
Dr Ziauddin Islam of the Al-Khidmat panel blamed the US and government agencies for the current situation in Swat and other northern areas.
He said: “We are reaping what we had sown in the past.” However, he said we must shun the politics of accusations and work seriously for the promotion of peace.
However, he warned that anyone who considered that he could expel the Pakhtuns from Karachi was living in a fools’ paradise. He said the Pakhtuns would live in the city on the basis of equality and fair play.
Resolutions
Later, the house took up two resolutions which were adopted unanimously.
Expressing concern over the dilapidated condition of the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Wazir Mansion, the house through a unanimously adopted resolution called upon the Sindh and city governments to take urgent steps for the renovation of the historical building and take steps for the removal of the drug addicts from around the building.
Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui deplored that such an important place was being ignored. He supported the views of the house members on the issue.
The second resolution approved the recommendations of a house committee regarding Nadra’s computerized registration and management system and directed all CDGK departments to ensure its implementation and wherever it was deemed necessary to issue notifications.
Earlier, Arshad Qureshi of the Haq Parast panel suggested that the Sindh government be requested to take effective measures for the preservation of the historical site of Moenjodaro, which was badly affected by the recent rains.
The house was adjourned to meet on Aug 20 at 4.30pm.
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