Government, MQM statements balanced

KARACHI: Shahzeb Khanzada in his programme on Geo News on Monday pointed out that Karachi had been facing severe tension since couple of days but now there is a balance and precaution in the statements of the MQM and the government.
It is expected that the MQM would adopt a stern attitude on the issue in Parliament, while Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar also said he would take Parliament into confidence on the matter of Rangers operation, but silence prevailed and both sides adopted precautions.
The Muttahida, which is known for outrageous speeches on the arrest of its single worker and kept staging walkouts, raised no voice in the National Assembly. There was also no reply or comment by the interior minister.
Regarding suicide bombing on the Church Gate a day earlier, Shahzeb Khanzada said the impacts of the blasts echoed in Lahore even on Monday and enraged people continued protests. There were also incidents of violence.
The Christian protesters suspected two persons as companions of suicide bombers, victimised them to extreme torture and then burnt them alive. This crime act is as heinous as torching or bombing of a worship place.
He opined that the scenes in Lahore were expression of tension of the Christian community. The protests also depict that none of the persons involved in attacks of the minority community was given due punishment and lead to encouraging the terrorists.
Shahzeb said construction of roads is not the only yardstick of progress and the government should also realise that there are other matters which are its responsibility. These include security to life and property and provision of justice.
Responding to Khanzada’s comments, former law minister of Punjab, Rana Sanaullah disagreed with him and reminded that justice was provided to all victims of the Gojra tragedy. Those responsible for the incident were arrested and tried in anti-terrorism courts. The Christian community in Gojra tried to settle the mater outside the court but the government insisted on trial. Later, when all the witnesses backed out from their statements, there was no alternative but to allow a patch-up.
Similar was the case in the matter of Kot Radha Kishan, where the government was not at fault. It was up to the court to give verdict in the case.He asserted that the policemen in Lahore very boldly faced the mob. He asked: “How come the cops were killed or injured if, as alleged, they were watching TV at a shop?”He pointed out that the attack on the churches was aimed at pitching Muslims and Christian against each other.
Speaking in the programme, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said he had struggled for democracy during the rule of a military ruler in 2006 and stand for what he had said. The situation with Altaf Hussain is quite different. He denies in the evening whatever he said in the morning. He pointed out that the office of a political party is not a sacred place and it is not justified to decry raid on Nine-Zero. He said target killing and extortion is nothing else but terrorisms. He said the situation in Karachi has improved as there has been no target killing for several days, while extortion has also reduced greatly. He stated that everyone who is against the country would be taken to task.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi of the MQM referred to the statement of interior minister regarding the Rangers operation, therefore the MQM did not raise it in the National Assembly. He said the MQM is not willing to escalate differences, while there are people who want the situation becomes worse.
Regarding Umair Siddiqui, he said it would be prejudicial to talk about the issue. Siddiqui said Saulat Mirza was a worker of the MQM in 1998 but had no connection with the party later. He said the raid on Azizabad should not be called a raid on Nine-Zero as no one was arrested from there.
He said the MQM never trained anyone for terrorism and denied existence of any militant wing in the party. He stressed that any worker of MQM, if found guilty of a crime, should be punished.