Army, govt, Zardari now do not need Ebad: Sethi

LAHORE: The army, federal government and Asif Ali Zardari now do not need Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, as the law enforcement agencies have the evidence that he provided protection to those MQM workers who did not deserve that, said Najam Sethi.
Expressing his views in Geo News programme ‘Aapas ki Baat’ on Sunday, he said Ebad had earlier sought one month time because of his daughter’s marriage, but the matter soon be decided.
About the human tragedy of Rohingya Muslims, he said the Muslim population was being tortured and pushed out of Myanmar and they were in a miserable condition, adding that they were staying in boats in sea as no country was ready to accept them.
Even the Muslims, he said, were not ready to assist them as the OIC did not have the courage even to impose some restrictions on Myanmar, while Bangladesh, a neighbouring country, was not condemning the situation.
On the other hand, the European countries were describing the atrocities faced by Rohingyas as genocide, he said, adding that some Bangladeshi Muslims were also on the boats after being becoming a prey to human traffickers, Sethi added.
Interestingly, the Jews were also raising their voice in favour of Rohingyas whose current status made recall their own sufferings at the hands German Nazis, he said. He recalled an incident when in 1939 around 800 Jews escaped Hitler’s wrath and reached Cuba and Florida in a boat but they were denied the permission to land and had returned to Europe where various countries accommodated them.
Sethi said Europe was playing an opportunistic role and had forgotten their principles only ensure trade with Myanmar. After releasing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar army was eyeing Europe with the US focused on its interests in that country; however, the human rights organisations of those countries were raising the issue, he added.
He said the Pakistani government also recorded formal protest after media reporting on the issue and the protest by religious parties, adding that same was the attitude of other Muslim countries.
The expert journalist said Aung San Suu Kyi did not support the Rohingya Muslims due to political compulsions as Myanmar was getting ready for general elections and 80 per cent citizens of the country were against them. She could not commit political suicide in the given situation by supporting Rohingyas; however, her sympathies were visibly with the Muslims, he added.