Murad urges Centre… : Don’t strike any new deal with TLP

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah said Monday that the government made a mistake by initiating talks with the defunct Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

After appearing before an accountability court here in the Nooriabad power plant reference, he expressed his apprehensions that this time again, the government would strike a deal with the banned organisation in order to temporarily control the situation. However, he warned that it would be a mistake on the part of the federal and Punjab governments.

“Don’t strike a deal for temporary gains,” he urged the government. He said he had contacted religious parties in Sindh. The Sindh CM said he had suggested to the federal government to ban inter-city transport in view of the surge in coronavirus cases, but the latter did not accept the suggestion.

He said he had been told by the health department that coronavirus cases were also increasing in Sindh. “It appears that Centre will not take any step to control the situation, leaving us on our own to deal with the pandemic,” he expressed his fears. CM Murad said he had conveyed to his subordinates not to force any shopkeeper to keep his shop open if he wanted to close it on the call given by religious parties in reaction to clashes between the police and the TLP activists in Lahore on Sunday.

“We all love Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” Sindh chief minister said, and called upon the federal government to take all provincial governments into confidence on its talks with the TLP.

He dispelled the impression that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had struck a deal with the ‘establishment’. “We are still facing cases. Our leader Syed Khursheed Shah is still in jail,” he reminded.

During hearing, the accountability court sought reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in response to a petition, filed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, seeking permanent exemption from court appearance on account of ‘poor’ law and order situation.

The court also issued arrest warrants for Muhammad Ali Zafar over his continuous absence in the Nooriabad power plant reference.

The Sindh CM and other accused in the case have been ordered to submit two Rs200,000 surety bonds. NAB presented a copy of the charges to all the people named in the case. The situation became more interesting when NAB brought a bus and van full of documents in the case and submitted those in the court.

Commenting on a bus full of documents, the Sindh CM said the Bureau had just wasted paper and nothing else. “They have filed a reference against a project that was producing electricity,” he added.