News
Sunday, May 27, 2012
PPP starts contacting political parties for peace in Karachi* Forms committees to hold talks with annoyed Lyari workers
By Razzak Abro
KARACHI: The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Saturday started contacting political parties in order to defuse tension and ensure peace in Karachi.
A seven-member committee constituted by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah under the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari called on Awami National Party Sindh President Shahi Syed at his residence in this regard.
The PPP has also formed two committees to initiate dialogue with political parties in Karachi and annoyed workers of Lyari. A seven-member committee headed by Provincial Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani would hold meetings with political parties to maintain peace in Karachi. Other members of the committee are Haji Muzaffar Shujra, Rafiq Engineer, Rashid Rabbani, Waqar Mahdi and Mir Ismail Brohi.
PPP leader Waqar Mahdi, who is also member of the committee, told Daily Times that in first phase, the committee members would meet political parties and government allies having representation in the assemblies. Later they will also hold meetings with those not in parliament. According to him, the committee will take into confidence the political parties about the government’s steps taken for maintaining law and order situation in Karachi, and seek their suggestions to improve situation.
The law and order situation in the metropolis have deteriorated since last few days after an armed attack on participants of the Mohabat-e-Sindh Rally on May 22 and incidents of target killings in different parts of the city.
Another committee formed for holding talks for local leaders and workers of Lyari will be headed by the party MNA, Abdul Qadir Patel. Other members of the committee include Senator Saeed Ghani and Yousuf Baloch. Saeed Ghani, who was in Islamabad, told Daily Times that a meeting of the committee was likely on his return in late evening.
According to the party sources, the members of Lyari committee had initially made a telephonic contact with some senior workers of the party belonging to Lyari on Saturday. The sources said that senior workers of the party had agreed to join talks. At the same time, they had also given some suggestions and steps for restoration of Lyari people’s confidence, those include immediate compensation for those who suffered losses during the Lyari operation, registration of cases against responsible officers over killings and injured persons, etc.
The senior workers of Lyari have told the committee members that the party was facing political difficulties, especially after the Lyari operation. According to sources, most of the party workers and supporters have great annoyance with the party leadership because of what they called one-sided operation in Lyari conducted by the PPP-led government in Sindh. The party sources said that President Zardari had been informed by the party leaders that a great resentment was also found among the people of Sindh, including Lyari workers, due to the government’s policies, especially its failure in protecting participants of the Mohabat Sindh rally held on May 22. Some 13 people were killed and several injured in incidents of firing on the rally.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk