KARACHI: Condemning the use of force against participants of the Sindh Rawadari March by law enforcers on Oct 13, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the marchers should also have shown tolerance and obeyed the law as the provincial government has the authority to impose Section 144 of the criminal procedure code to restrict assembly of people.

While speaking to journalists after laying a wreath at the ‘Memorial of Karsaz Martyrs’ to mark the 17th anniversary of the twin suicide bombings on the homecoming procession of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, he said that the provincial government would not allow anybody or a mob to take the law into their own hands.

“I am ready to talk to everyone, but I will not be blackmailed by anyone,” he added.

The chief minister said that Section 144 was imposed against protests and demonstrations as Rawadri March organisers announced their rally. Meanwhile, a religious party had also given a call to counter the protest.

Says participants adopted unreasonable stance, despite his sincere apology

“This was a serious situation and to avoid any untoward incident the provincial government requested the organisers of the Rawadari March to postpone their protest but they preferred to violate Section 144,” he said.

The chief minister said that some miscreants also joined the Rawadari March and inappropriate slogans were raised by the marchers. “We have started an inquiry, the report will come very soon,” he added.

Mr Shah said that through the media he had sincerely offered his apology to the participants of the Rawadari March for what they went through. “I have talked to the organisers of the Rawadari March and in return, they started responding to the government through the media which was indecent and unreasonable,” he added.

Replying to a question, he said that the provincial government had taken a clear stand on the Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar incident.

“If the government had not prepared a genuine report of his murder [in a staged encounter] within a day, the people would not have been able to learn the facts of the tragic incident,” he said and added that this was a manifestation of his government’s commitment and sincerity.

Mr Shah said that the stance taken by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government Dr Shahnawaz incident had never been seen before in this country.“Even then Section 144 was violated by those who call themselves ‘Rawadar’ [tolerant] to protest the incident.”

He said that names of senior police officers were included in the FIR and they were removed them from their postings and brought under investigation. “Even though some people, instead of appreciating the government and its efforts, are playing their politics,” he said.

Attack on Chinese

Replying to another question, the chief minister said that there had been a breakthrough in the investigation of the attack on Chinese at the airport, and added that the investigators had collected important evidence from the crime scene.

He said that site of attack at the airport was closed for four to five days in order to collect the evidence.

Recalling the Oct 18, 2007 Karsaz tragic incident, the chief minister said that countless people across the country had gathered to welcome Benazir Bhutto when she landed at Karachi Airport 17 years ago. He said that 180 workers were killed, and with their blood and the sacrifice of Ms Bhutto, democracy returned to this country.

To a question, he said that the killers of PPP workers at Karsaz and of Ms Bhutto could not be traced because the crime scene was washed to hinder any thorough investigation.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024