Referring to Khawaja Izhar’s arrest, says ‘political operations’
will weaken efforts for restoration of peace
Karachi
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said on Saturday that his party was committed to depoliticising police as “political operations” would only weaken efforts for the restoration of peace.
“We believe in the rule of law and democracy and no one will be allowed to take law into their own hand,” said the PPP chairman said while presiding over a meeting at the Bilawal House.
Bilawal’s remarks were in connection with the political upheaval and high-drama a day earlier when SSP Malir Rao Anwar arrested Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader and leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hasan. The MQM leader was released later in the evening after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah intervened into the matter.
Both the prime minister and the chief minister expressed their displeasure over the arrest and unfair treatment meted out to Hasan. The chief minister ordered the suspension of SSP Malir and removal of the DIG East.
The meeting at Bilawal House was attended among others by the Sindh chief minister, minister Nisar Khuhro, advisers to the chief minister Moula Bakhsh Chandio, Murtaza Wahab, Saeed Ghani, Senator Taj Haider, Senator Sherry Rehman, Habibuddin Junaidi, Syed Najmi Alam, Waqar Mehdi, Lateef Mughal, and political secretary to the PPP’s chairman Jameel Soomro.
The chief minister briefed the chairman about the ongoing development programme and the progress made so far in the current fiscal year in Karachi.
It was stressed during the meeting that issues of water, garbage and transport should be taken up on priority basis and both short-term and long-term policies should be adopted to deal with these civic problems in the city.
Bilawal told the Sindh government to work with the elected representatives of the local bodies and ensure that jobs were provided on merit.
The PPP chairman also formed a committee to observe the anniversary of the Karsaz attack on October 18 with the active participation of party activists and supporters.
The members of the committee include Rashid Rabbani, Saeed Ghani, Waqar Mehdi and Najmi Alam.
Party ticket issued
The PPP issued a party ticket to Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh to contest the upcoming by-election for the constituency PS-11 Shikarpur on October 20.
Shaikh had resigned from the same seat of as an MPA of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Functional after joining the PPP.
