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PPP, Muttahida see 'third force' behind killings
[Dawn]  In the backdrop of recent assassination of many people in the city, local leaders of the Pakistain People's Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement...English: United National Movement, generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest secular political party in Pakistain with particular strength in Sindh. From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pak Army's Operation Cleanup leaving thousands of urdu speaking civilians dead... (MQM) on Tuesday held a meeting at the Governor's House on Tuesday and agreed to coordinate with each other and support stern action against elements involved in such killings. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, who presided over the meeting, told a presser that political forces agreed to ensure coordination between them and support action against myrmidons, who would not lose a chance to create a law and order situation in the metropolis. He said that the incidents of assassinations in which many PPP and MQM workers as well as other innocent people were bumped off in the city over the past few days was discussed at the meeting. "PPP and MQM are two major coalition partners in Sindh and President  Asif Ali President Ten PercentZardari ... sticky-fingered husband of the late Benazir Bhutto ... and (MQM chief) Altaf Bhai have taken notice of the situation," he said, adding that the parties could play their role in curbing such incidents by coordinating with each other and ensuring unity at the grassroots level. Other parties would also be taken on board to ensure their cooperation in restoring peace to the city, he said. The governor noted that there was 'exemplary harmony and unity' among all sects and ethnic communities in the city as they were not at odds with one another. "They all are shocked over the assassinations -- of Ahl-e-Tashee, doctors, lawyers, political activists and other people -- wherever they happened," he said. In reply to a question, the governor said peace in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... was in the interest of all political forces, particularly the MQM, which had more stakes than others in the city. Similarly, he pointed out, being the majority party at the centre and in Sindh, the PPP also had its stakes in Bloody Karachi. He argued that peace in the city would ultimately benefit the Awami National Party (ANP), and said that those who were blaming the (Sindh) coalition parties for the law and order situation were actually the elements who benefited only from instability in the city. "Whenever killings take place, the myrmidons try to blame it on coalition parties to create tension between them," he said. Supporting the governor's contentions, PPP Bloody Karachi president Syed Faisal Raza Abidi said there was no clash of interests between the PPP and the MQM in the city. Rather, he said, a third force was butchering innocent people. He said the PPP, MQM, ANP and Ahl-e-Tashee, Ahl-e-Sunnat and all other forces wanted peace and harmony to be maintained in the city. For the purpose, he added, the meeting decided to constitute a committee with the task of ensuring harmony among followers of all schools of thought and the file and ranks of all political forces. He said the committee would also expose those who were in Bloody Karachi and involved in creating instability in Gilgit-Baltistan. The meeting, he said, had also decided to support moves to give the police and other security forces "a freehand to deal with enemies of humanity". MQM coordination committee member Dr Sagheer Ahmad said that anti-people elements were bent upon disturbing the peace in Bloody Karachi and other parts of the province. He stressed the need for foiling their designs through the reconciliation process initiated by Asif Ali Zardari and Altaf Hussain. He expressed his party's resolve to help foil conspiracies aimed at sabotaging political activities in the city. Posted by: Fred 2012-04-12 |
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