Sindh CM extends olive branch to MQM-P

KARACHI: An inquiry committee was constituted on Thursday to probe the circumstances which led to use of force by the police against protesters belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan in front of the CM House and fixing responsibility for the power show. The committee was tasked to submit its report to the Sindh CM within three days. The committee was formed after Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah held a meeting with Inspector-General of Sindh Police, Mushtaq Mehar, and Karachi’s Commissioner, Iqbal Memon, and discussed the issue with MQM-P leader Syed Aminul Haque on telephone.

The IGP and commissioner briefed the chief minister on the violent incident in detail. The CM, expressing his displeasure, said such incidents were uncalled for and should not be repeated in the future.

Shah directed the home secretary to constitute a committee under him to inquire into the incident and fix responsibility so that necessary action could be taken against those responsible for the violence that occurred while tackling the protest rally.

The terms of reference of the inquiry included as to why the political party changed the route of the rally from Press Club to CM House and hotels where international cricket players were staying; why the police and administration failed to restrict the rally at the Press Club and allowed it to change its route; what made the police use force upon protestors and details of any excessive measures taken by police with fixing the responsibility for the same; if police used force upon women protesters, any injury as a result thereof and to fix responsibility for the same; manhandling of MQM-P’s MPA, Sadaqat Hussain and fix responsibility for the same and to ascertain the causes of death of Muhammad Aslam, who allegedly died of police action.

Earlier, the CM talked to MQM-P leader Syed Aminul Haque over telephone and expressed his displeasure over the incident. He added that such incidents were against the peace of the city and the situation of political harmony.

Shah and Haque agreed that Wednesday’s incident should not be given an ethnic colour. The statements made by Sindh govt representatives and MQM-P portraying it as an ethnic issue were condemned, and they mutually agreed to restrain from making such statements.

The CM requested Haque to let the government conduct postmortem of the late MQM-P activist Aslam for ascertaining the actual cause of the death. However, Haque left the matter to the party leaders and family members of the deceased to decide about it.

Shah also offered Haque to sit together for having a dialogue on the new local government law, saying: “If you have some suggestions, please share it with me as we will consider them to incorporate them into the law.”

The MQM-P leader said that he would also discuss the offer with his party leaders. He also appreciated the Sindh government for taking appropriate action to tackle the Tando Allahyar tragedy.

In addition, the CM Sindh also telephoned MQM-P’s MPA Sadaqat Hussain, who was manhandled by police, to express his displeasure over the incident and inquired about his health. The CM told the MPA that he had ordered an inquiry into the incident as those responsible would be taken to task.