Pakistan: PPP, MQM demand action against Taliban

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The PPP and the MQM have demanded the federal government to start operation to crush the Taliban without wasting time and also impose ban on such political parties which are supporting the militant groups immediately.

The provincial legislature was commenced one and half hour delay than the scheduled time of 10:00am with Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza in the Chair on Monday. It passed the Sindh Environmental Protection Bill 2014 and Sindh Healthcare Commission Bill 2013 into law unanimously.

MQM’s MPA Kamran Akhtar in his call attention notice drew attention of increasing Talibanisation and disclosure of Hizbut Tahreer, a banned organisation at Karachi University, and the elements supporting Talibanisation. He also sought detail of steps taken by the government to protect the people from increasing terrorism and Taliban network in the City. He also saluted to the Pak Army and other security agencies for sacrificing their lives in fight against the Taliban and other terror networks in the City and other parts of the country. He claimed the presence of Taliban in 33 Union Councils of Karachi where militants of banned outfit have setup their courts and issuing verdicts of killing the people. MQM’s MPA demanded decisive action against the Taliban.

Replying to the call attention notice, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon supported the views shared by the MQM’s MPA. He informed the House that PPP wants action against the militants of Taliban at any cost as these banned outfits do not understand the language of talks.

He further said when PML-N’s federal government was in negotiations with the Taliban, the Sindh government had already initiated action against the militants in Karachi and even many of them were killed in encounters with the LEAs. Replying to another call attention submitted by Heer Soho of MQM about the condition of Sukkur Barrage, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said according to British and Chinese experts, the existing structure of the Barrage could be strengthened through maintenance for next 30 to 50 years. “If needed, the government can initiate construction on new one as alternative of the Sukkur Barrage but it depends upon the opinion of the foreign experts.”

Later, the House passed the Sindh Environmental Protection Bill 2014 unanimously. It rejected four amendments and incorporating the two amendments moved by Khalid Ahmed of the MQM. The Sindh government has constituted an Environment Council led by the Sindh chief minister, besides green courts and Tribunals would also be constituted to control the pollution with a fine of Rs5 million against the violators. The House also passed the report of special committee led by PML-N’s Irfanullah Marwat, adopting Sindh Healthcare Commission Bill 2013 into law unanimously. This Bill will help to improve the quality of healthcare services and will help in banning quackery in the province in all forms and manifestations. Government will ensure monitoring and regulation of quality of the healthcare services in private and public sectors through an independent commission to be setup in consultation with the Pakistan Dental Medical Council. Special Assistant to CM for Culture and Tourism, Sharmila Farooqui, during question-hour, told the House that federal government had not transferred the finances with devolution of 129 archeological sites to the Sindh government. PTI’s Dr Seema Zia and PML-F’s Nusrat Sehar Abbasi raised the issue of damage to the ruins of Mohenjodaro due to opening ceremony of Sindh Festival at the site.

Sharmila Farooqui showed the letter of Unesco director and member of the technical committee on archeology, Michael Johnson, who, according to her, wrote to the Sindh government that no damage had been occurred to the ruins of the Mohenjodaro. However, PTI’s Dr Seema later cited the reports of newspapers containing the damage occurred to the ruins of archeological site. She expressed dissatisfaction with the answer of the advisor of the government which caused brief rumpus and exchange of harsh words between Sharmila and Dr Seema.