Arbab sees a ‘third force’ coming to power in Sindh

Karachi
A day after airing his much-contended views over Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s political future, former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim continued in much of the same controversial vein on Friday by warning of an intervention by a ‘third force’ in Sindh if the government failed to correct the province’s steadily worsening affairs.
The former CM, who now serves as an opposition MPA in the provincial legislature, issued the word of warning when he, along with several lawmakers of opposition parties, spoke to the media after the abrupt adjournment of the day’s session.
Without explicitly mentioning military action, Dr Rahim said a ‘third force’ may soon be seen in Sindh if provincial affairs were not set in order. His views were, later in the day, echoed by another former chief minister and now opposition MPA, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, in a separate talk, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also been speaking of possible imposition of martial law in Sindh due to the bad governance and performance of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party.
Addressing newsmen outside the assembly, opposition lawmakers of the PML-F, PML-N and MQM protested against the recent working of the provincial assembly, claiming that, over the past several sessions now, they had not be allowed to raise the issue of sugarcane prices.
Dr Rahim said that, despite the pressing concerns of the province’s growers, the session chair had not let opposition lawmakers raise an issue of such an alarming nature. Criticising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, he said the PM had conveniently overlooked the concept of provincial autonomy while ordering a targeted operation in Karachi but was hesitant to exercise the same power in a matter affecting thousands of growers.
Aijaz Shah Shirazi, an MPA of PML-N, alleged the PPP government has been working on evicting the indigenous population living across forest land in his native areas of Thatta and Sujawal. He said hundreds of acres of precious forest land were being illegally awarded to companies in exchange for undue favours.
Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader, said all opposition parties in the assembly, whether representing urban or rural Sindh, were united over such valid issues.

No chance, says Sharjeel
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said politicians who were rooting for military rule in the province were bound for disappointment as there was “no chance of martial law given the present flourishing democratic system in the country.”
“The politicians who have been calling for martial law have no chance at success in a democratic set up. It is during periods of military intervention that they secure lucrative ministries and undue personal favours,” he said.