Protest in Sindh Assembly after Speaker disallows resolution against Altaf’s statement

KARACHI: Members of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly staged a protest walk-out on Monday after Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani disallowed a resolution against MQM chief Altaf’s Hussain recent statements.

The resolution against remarks made by MQM chief Hussain in a recent speech to party workers was being brought by opposition lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Shortly before question hour session today, the lawmakers stood up from their seats and requested the Speaker for permission to table what they called “a very important resolution”.

After Durrani did not allow the members to bring the resolution, the opposition lawmakers protested in front of the Speaker’s desk and a commotion ensued in the assembly hall.

After the Speaker failed to give in to their demand for the resolution, the lawmakers staged a protest walk-out of the Sindh Assembly session.

Before the start of the session, PTI leader Samar Ali Khan had announced that the party would bring the resolution in the assembly against Altaf’s recent statements against the Army leadership.

The PTI leader said that matters cannot be resolved by repeatedly making the same mistakes and apologising for them.

Samar claimed that the recent contentious statements by the MQM chief against the Army had hurt the sentiments of the people and harmed the dignity of the nation.

PML-F lawmaker Nusrat Sahar Abbasi said that the people were saddened by the remarks targeting the military leadership. She said that no leader would be allowed to use such language against those fighting for the defence of the country.

Responding to news of the resolution against their party chief, MQM parliamentary leader Sardar Ahmed said that anyone was free to bring a resolution against them if they wanted to.

He said that the MQM would face any such move to level baseless allegations against the party.

The developments in the Sindh Assembly come as PTI lawmakers submitted a similar resolution against Altaf Hussain’s statements in the Punjab Assembly today.

In contentious remarks last week, the MQM chief had criticized the military leadership in a speech to party workers.

Hussain's remarks had come hours after senior Karachi police officer Rao Anwar called for a ban against the MQM for its alleged links with the Indian secret agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

A spokesman for the Pakistan Army had termed Hussain’s statement against it as disgusting and warned that such remarks would not be tolerated. The ISPR had said that it would pursue the matter legally.