News
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Mirza’s allegations, Karachi dominate NA session* Nisar demands Malik’s resignation, probe into Zulfiqar Mirza’s allegations
* Fazl for finding real causes of unrest in Karachi
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The allegations levelled by former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Karachi unrest dominated the national assembly session on Monday.
Amidst the walkout of journalists from the press gallery against the threats to their community, especially in Karachi, the largest opposition party in the lower house of Parliament on Monday demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Rehman Malik following Dr Mirza’s allegations.
“The serious allegations of Dr Mirza warrant the resignation of the federal minister,” Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan demanded in the session, which was prorogued owing to the flood situation in the country. Though agreed in the committee by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to prorogue the session, its opposition leader opposed the decision in the session when he was lashing out at the government for its inefficiency to handle the country’s affairs.
Nisar demanded that a commission should be formed to probe the allegations and counter allegations ensuing from Dr Mirza’s press conference and noted that the president and the government have not disowned the allegations of Mirza so far.
He felt that Dr Mirza was not an ordinary person but a close aide of President Zardari and former home minister of Sindh. Nisar said that parliament should also be appraised of the questions raised following Mirza’s revelations.
He called upon the government to give answers about the national security issue and deplored that despite the operation in Karachi, the spree of target killing and extortion continuing unabatedly.
Later, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan assured the house that the government would address the concerns of the journalists following her meeting with the protesting journalists who voiced concerns about the security of media persons in Karachi.
Dr Awan also urged ANP and MQM to explain their viewpoints as protesting journalists wanted clarifications for alleged threats to Karachi based journalists from these two parties.
MQM’s Haider Abbas Rizvi categorically denied that the MQM had any hand in the sacking of an anchorperson and said in fact he had been restored when the MQM convinced the management of the media group to restore his job.
Pervez Khan Advocate of the ANP said that his party was a peace-loving party and had never terrorised the journalists.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl Chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman emphasised the need for making concerted efforts to restore peace and tranquility to Karachi.
Speaking in the National Assembly, he said that that all the political parties should join hands and find real causes of unrest in the city. He said that the military option did not offer solution to the problems.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik assured the National Assembly that the government would take all steps for the early release of 30 kidnapped children by Afghan Taliban.
Responding to a point of orders raised by Akhunzada Chattan, Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour and Hameedullah Jan Afridi, he said that the matter had been taken up with the Afghan government and Afghan President Hamid Karazai had also taken notice of the issue. He said that the children would be released soon from the custody of Taliban.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk