Governor’s rule or emergency in Sindh could lead to long war: Khursheed

Says country to suffer if province harmed; minister advises PPP not to create hurdles in Rangers’ powers

ISLAMABAD: The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly on Monday said on the floor of the House that the federal government might impose Governor’s Rule or declare emergency in Sindh, and those steps could lead to a prolonged war.

Syed Khursheed Shah said, “Sindh province is one of the pillars of the country and the country will suffer in case of any harm to the province.” He asked the federal government to refrain from taking any extreme step in the Sindh province.

In response to the opposition leader’s tirade, Minister for Safron Lt General (retd) General Abdul Qadir Baloch advised the PPP leadership not to create hurdles in giving special powers to the Rangers in Karachi for the sake of an individual.

The opposition leader said that ‘somebody else’ had taken the benefit whenever the government and the opposition had grabbed each other by the neck. He also hinted at taking a decision on giving special powers to the Rangers on the Prime Minister’s return from abroad.

He said that his party never demanded sending the Rangers to Punjab whereas the situation was not different there. He said he did not know who asked Chaudhry Nisar to address a press conference. “But I know that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can never shake a province in this way,” he said.

“They should demonstrate patience to probe terrorism-related corruption cases in Karachi,” Abdul Qadir Baloch said while responding to points raised by the opposition leader in his speech on the presidential address, adding that Karachi should not be deprived of peace for the sake of an individual.

A majority of the members, including Asif Hasnain (MQM), Ayesha Gulalai (PTI), Shaikh Rashid Ahmad (AML), Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and others, while taking part in the debate, supported giving special powers to the Rangers in Karachi.

Abdul Qadir Baloch maintained that peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Karachi had been restored due to the sacrifices given by the army saying that it would not be advisable to create problems in the way of the Karachi operation.

He said the role of the Rangers had the support of the entire nation and they had succeeded in restoring the confidence of the people. He said there was significant reduction in crimes in the city as personnel of Rangers had dedicated themselves to the restoration of peace there.

Initiating debate on the address of the president to the joint sitting of parliament, the opposition leader said they were not against giving special powers to the Rangers but every institution should work within its limit. “I have talked to the Sindh chief minister who said he would wait for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to return from abroad,” he said.

The opposition leader came down hard on the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for threatening to show a video of Dr Asim Hussain. “The language being used by a minister is not a good message for us and the Sindh province,” he said.

He said if the minister was threatening to show the video. Then the videos of Punjab minister Rana Mashhood and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who confessed his involvement in money laundering, should also be brought forward.

He asked if any of the ministers were exiled or sent to prisons. “They were taking a rest in their drawing rooms when Begum Kulsoom Nawaz was on the roads and Nawaz Sharif was in jail,” he said.

Ayesha Gulalai of the PTI said that the Muslims were being marginalised, isolated and attacked in some western countries despite the fact that a majority of Muslims are peaceful citizens and contributing a lot in the economic development of those countries.

She demanded of the government to take up the issue of protection of Muslims with those countries.Ghulam Ahmad Bilour also stated that the Rangers had checked the deteriorating security situation in Karachi. He, however, said that the provincial government and the Sindh chief minister should have an upper hand. He said that the issue of extension in the mandate of the Rangers should be resolved in consultation with the provincial government.

Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said Pakistan is an important country and the democratic world supported it in many respects. He questioned why the Sindh government was delaying the extension in the mandate of the Rangers. Shaikh Rashid, however, was of the view that there should be across the board accountability. He said Karachi is an international city and the Rangers’ mandate would have to be extended for the sake of peace and security in the city.

Syed Asif Hasnain said the president, in his address to parliament, focused on major challenges being faced by the country and the problems of the common man. However, he was of the view that somehow the required focus had not been on these issues including the law and order situation, energy, unemployment and price hike.

The proceedings of the House were adjourned till Tuesday morning (today) due to a lack of quorum.