KARACHI, Nov 28: The gradual breakdown of law and order in the province, particularly the strife-prone city of Karachi, caused many a member of the provincial assembly to raise the issue on the floor of the house on Friday and urge the government to bring down the rising temperature of ethnic tension lest it should get out of control.

The session was called to order at 11.30am with Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khuhro in the chair.

Auqaf Minister Abdul Haseeb on a point of order said many people who went to buy sacrificial animals from Maweshi Mandi located between Sohrab Goth and New Sabzi Mandi on Super Highway had been deprived of their cash and valuables apparently in an organised manner the previous night near Sohrab Goth on the Super Highway. Police reached there soon afterwards and hauled some robbers but there was a dire need to make proper arrangements for people’s protection, he added.

Nusrat Sehar Abbasi on her point of order said the law and order situation in the province had worsened. She referred to an armed robbery on Abul Hasan Ispahani Road where passengers of a bus were looted. The armed men also took away the mother of a young girl when she begged for the life of her daughter, she said.

Similarly, she said, seven to eight persons had been kidnapped for ransom in her hometown recently. She said there were occurrences when only the captive’s body was found even after the payment of ransom.

Pointing out the home minister’s continued absence from the house, she said it would have been better if the home minister had been present. She demanded of the government to take immediate steps for the release of the kidnapped persons and expressed the hope that the law minister, who was present, would enlighten the house on the steps being taken to improve the situation.

Law Minister Ayaz Soomro said efforts were being made by the government to control crime. At places progress was made within the given resources, he said, while referring to the recovery of kidnapped persons in Larkana. He said efforts were also being made to recover the persons kidnapped in Khairpur.

About the Ispahani road incident, he said he would submit the report in the house on Monday.

PPP’s Tariq Masood Arain, who was elected from PS-24 Nawabshah-1, failing to get a satisfactory reply from the law minister, announced that he would boycott the session and go on hunger strike outside the assembly to protest against the illegal occupation of 100 acres of his relative.

He said he had raised the issue earlier too but no progress had been made to get the land vacated so far. He said the land, located opposite to Quaid-i-Awam University in Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto district, was forcibly taken over by one Bhawal Zardari by preparing fake documents and selling the plots.

Senior minister Pir Mazharul Haq informed the house that he had tried to resolve the issue and it was presumed that the issue had been resolved since the MPA did not make any further complaint. However, he said a fresh attempt could be made.

Talking to a group of journalists later in the lobby, Mr Arain said he had deferred his decision about the hunger strike till Monday on the intervention of his party colleagues. He also showed them a pamphlet named “Shaheed Pinki Housing Society” and alleged that Bhawal Zardari had carried out plotting of the encroached land and was selling it to people.

Tariq Arain was requested by the law minister to defer the protest till Monday. The minister assured the MPA that the matter would be sorted out by then.

PPP’s Fayyaz Ali Butt said the EDO Health of Tando Allahyar was kidnapped over a week ago. However, he said, Dr Jalil Bachani who was also PPP MNA Shamshad Bachani’s relative, had not yet been recovered. Mr Butt said two days back he along with MPA Imran Leghari came under attack. A bullet pierced the vehicle though they managed to speed away unhurt, he added.

He also asked the minister concerned to look into the matter of 400 cheques, which were not being honoured. The cheques were given to the flood victims of Juhi and other talukas in 2007, he said.

Armed guards

PML-Q’s Mohammad Shaharyar Mehar from PS-10 Shikarpur pointed out that there was a ban on display of arms by private security guards but law enforces were also objecting to carrying of concealed weapons by private guards. He said keeping in view the ongoing law and order situation when police guards were being denied to MPAs at least they should be allowed to keep private armed guards for their security.Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Jam Madad Ali drew attention of the chair towards advertisements place by the Agricultural Development Bank for auction of lands for the recovery of its amount from cultivators who had failed to clear the bank’s dues.

Farmers faced hardship on account of non-availability of irrigation water and drought-like situation in Sindh and there were precedence that the bank offered relief to farmers in other provinces, he said, and urged the authorities to look into the matter.

The law minister said that if farmers were provided relief in other provinces, the Sindh government would also take up the matter with the federal government to get relief for Abadgars.

Information Minister Shazia Marri, who met journalists in the press gallery, informed the house that journalists were concerned over the statement recorded with the police by three MPAs, Dr Sajeela Leghari, Pir Ghulam Shah Jilani and Imran Leghari, in favour of the accused killer of journalist Azim Leghari.

She said that if some MPAs had recorded their statement with the police it was their right. But she assured the journalists from the floor of the house that an inquiry would be fair and nobody would be allowed to influence the inquiry.

Law Minister Ayaz Soomro asked journalists to name any police official of their trust and the government was ready to get inquiry conducted by him.

Pointing out that there was no water available in the river in Thatta and Badin, PPP’s Humera Alwani demanded implementation of the 1991 water accord.

PML-F’s Marvi Rashdi said the Sindh assembly, which had adopted a resolution condemning the Mumbai tragedy, should pass another resolution to condemn Indian leadership for blaming Pakistan. However, Speaker Khuhro said that foreign office was the proper platform to respond.

Other items on the order of the day were deferred till Monday after two motions moved by Shoaib Bokhari and Law Minister Ayaz Soomro were passed by the house.

At 1pm, the house was adjourned till Monday at 10am.

Before giving the ruling, Speaker Khuhro informed the house that he would not be available from Monday as he was proceeding to perform Haj.