KARACHI, March 26: The City Council on Wednesday congratulated Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on assuming the office of prime minister through a unanimously adopted resolution.
The resolution also greeted Dr Fahmida Mirza and Faisal Karim Kundi for becoming speaker and deputy speaker of the national assembly, respectively.
At the outset the atmosphere in the house, presided over by senior presiding officer Masood Mehmud, was very pleasant as friendly gestures were exchanged between the two sides of the divide, but the reconciliatory tone could not last long.
When the resolution was tabled by the house officer for debate, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui of the Haq Parast panel welcomed the election of the prime minister with a heavy mandate, saying that time had come that political parties shunned the politics of the past and looked forward to the future.
Mr Siddiqui said the country, particularly Karachi, had suffered a lot due to frequent power breakdowns and a serious law and order problem despite the fact that it was a major contributor to the national exchequer. He urged the new government to pay attention to the problems of this city.
Taking part in the debate, Al-Khidmat leader Rafiq Ahmed said it was a welcoming sign that a new era of democracy had begun and the rule of dictatorship ended as a result of the people’s struggle.
He reminded the house members that there was a time when restrictions were imposed on the freedom of the judiciary and the media and the city bled. In this regard, he referred to the tragic incident of May 12.
While Mr Ahmed was giving his arguments, the presiding officer intervened and asked him to restrict his arguments to the subject.
In his ruling, Mr Mehmud termed the new conciliatory efforts a good omen, and asked the house members not to raise controversial issues at this stage.
Sacrifices for democracy
He invited opposition leader of the Awam Dost panel Saeed Ghani to make his submissions. Taking the floor, Mr Ghani said no one could deny that great sacrifices had been rendered for the restoration of democracy in the country, for which Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her own life.
Mr Ghani said the present government inherited a lot of problems, including unemployment, power crisis and inflation, and these problems could not be solved without joint efforts.
Without naming the MQM, he said there were many contradictions among the parties. However, he said, “Our leaders must admit their past mistakes and recognise the sacrifices of other parties”.
Reciprocating the gesture, Mohammad Arshad of the Haq Parast Group paid tribute to the services of the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto for her struggle for democracy.
Pleading for harmony among all parties, the Haq Parast leader said the country was passing through a critical phase. He said that within a month the prices of essential commodities had registered a steep rise. Despite all differences, he said, “we are ready to work for a common cause”.
On a point of order, Ramzan Awan tried to point out to the chair his commitment regarding the UC fund issue. The presiding officer asked him to restrict his arguments to the subject.
However, when the resolution was put to the vote, it was unanimously adopted.
Lyari gangs
Later, UC-6 nazim of Lyari Town Majeed Baloch drew the attention of the chair towards the deteriorating law and order situation in his UC, saying that gangsters freely roamed about in the locality after sunset and people were forced to stay indoors.
Asif Siddiqui said that the new government must take remedial measures to improve the law and order situation in the area.
However, tension prevailed in the house when Juman Darwan of the Awam Dost group criticised the master plan, saying that under the so-called development plan of the city, the old villages were being demolished.
He said that nine Dehs (villages) of Gadap town had been handed over to the Malir Development Authority, thereby uprooting the villagers from their ancestral land.
The presiding officer dismissed his arguments, saying that the issue had already been discussed. He told treasury member Ahsan Siddiqui to resume his submissions on the electricity crisis which could not be completed in the last session.
This provoked the opposition members, who staged a walkout from the house twice.
In the absence of the opposition, the house continued its proceedings. Ahsan Siddiqui, Abdul Jalil and some other members of the treasury criticised the authorities for the electricity crisis in the city and described it as a conspiracy against the industrial development of the city.
The house also adopted a unanimous resolution without the opposition. It also condemned the gang-rape committed at the Quaid’s mazar and demanded severe punishment for the culprits.
In his concluding speech, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui accused Al-Khidmat Group of sabotaging reconciliatory efforts in the house.
The presiding officer adjourned the city council session till Thursday at 3.30pm.
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.