Sindh Assembly’s doors are open to opposition leader: Sharjeel

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said the doors of the provincial assembly are open to the incumbent leader of opposition, Haleem Adil Sheikh, and no harm will be done to him once he comes back to the house.He gave this assurance while talking to media persons on Thursday amid a likely provincial government move to replace Sheikh as opposition leader. This development is likely as Sheikh and his fellow lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have not been attending sessions of the assembly since May 9 violent incidents in the country. In the meantime, a number of sitting and ex-lawmakers of PTI have also defected from their party.

“In case the opposition leader is frightened of visiting the assembly, then he should know that the doors of the assembly are open and he should come as no harm will be done while he is present in the legislature,” said Memon. He, however, cautioned that once outside the legislature the opposition leader had to face the law if there was any criminal case pending case against him. Answering a question, Memon said those who attacked public properties, parliament, and PTV and Radio Pakistan buildings could not be spared lawful action on the pretext of safeguarding their human rights.

He said arresting a former prime minister and his cronies involved in brazen acts of violence and corruption did not mean that their fundamental rights would be trampled upon. Answering another question, the provincial information minister told media persons that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party had secured a landslide victory in the local government elections all over Sindh.

He said the nominated candidates of the PPP would win the upcoming polls for choosing mayors of the cities in Sindh and his party would secure the desired majority for the electoral victory. He said that other opposition political parties in the province didn’t have the desired majority in this regard, and that was why they had resorted to the blame game.Sharjeel Memon stated that the visit of PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Iraq was highly successful, as it delivered a positive message aimed at resolving the issues faced by the people of Pakistan.

During a media interaction at the Sindh Assembly, he emphasized that the areas of concern highlighted by the PPP leadership, including Bilawal and former president Asif Ali Zardari, aligned with the major challenges faced by Pakistan. He highlighted that millions of Pakistani pilgrims visit Karbala and Najaf, and steps have been taken to address the longstanding issues they encounter there. It is the duty of leaders to address the problems faced by the people, as the people elect their representatives to the assemblies with the expectation that these issues will be resolved.

The focus should not be on criticizing the people’s political preferences but rather on fostering a more respectful and constructive political environment, he remarked. He said that as foreign minister, Bilawal accomplished what had been challenging to achieve for several years. In response to the demands of Pakistani pilgrims, the establishment of a Pakistani consulate in Najaf is underway and this development brings significant news to the people of the country, particularly the pilgrims. In case Pakistanis encounter any difficulties, he said, the Pakistani consul general and embassy staff will be present to provide assistance and support.He stated that concrete measures are being also taken to address the challenges faced by Pakistani pilgrims in Karbala, the issues encountered by the pilgrims will be actively resolved, and these steps go beyond mere rhetoric. The government of Iraq passed a bill in its assembly yesterday, demonstrating their commitment.

Memon emphasized that a true leader understands the suffering, difficulties, and problems of the people and takes concrete steps to address them. He welcomed the establishment of the Pakistan-Iraq Business Council and other similar initiatives. He questioned the previous foreign ministers, asking whether they turned a blind eye to the problems faced by the people of Pakistan. Mere talk is easy, but the real experiences of those individuals facing difficulties in different countries should be considered, he said, adding that It is indeed the responsibility of the government to alleviate the hardships faced by the Pakistani community in various nations, and this responsibility is being fulfilled by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.