MQM-P planning communal riots in Karachi: Ghani

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani has charged the MQM-Pakistan with planning communal riots in the province in the name of locals and non-locals.

Addressing a press conference along with PPP chief media coordinator Nazir Dhoki here on Thursday, he said people would die during these riots, and the MQM would do politics over it. He defended the Sindh government’s local government law. “The PTI and MQM are seeing humiliation in local bodies elections; therefore, they are making them controversial.

“Define the term locals and non-locals on the basis of which a protest is being staged in the province. “If people vote someone and send him to the assembly, then no one can object over it,” he added.

Saeed Ghani said the opposition in Sindh was creating fuss over the Local Government Act, though powers of the local bodies had been increased in the new law. He said according to the new LG law, the mayor would head the Karachi Sewerage Board, and would also be the chairman of Solid Waste Management. “We have made new laws at the behest of the opposition,” he said. The minister said the health and education institutions were not functioning properly under the local governments. “We will fix these institutions by investing billions of rupees,” he added.

He said the Sindh governor had been doing politics on the LG bill. “We have accepted the things that were justified and made appropriate changes to the new law,” he added. The minister said if the governor would not sign the bill it would become the law in 15 days now.

Saeed Ghani said the MQM left the government four times when it was a coalition partner of the Sindh government. The Sindh information minister regretted that everyone in the country was suffering due to the incompetence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He said gas was not available in the country for industrial and domestic use, while electricity tariffs were increased on the orders of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Urea is not available in the country, electricity tariff were being increased and everyone is suffering,” he said. Saeed Ghani said Minister Hammad Azhar had promised three-time supply gas supply for domestic consumers, but people were not getting it even to prepare three meals a day. “The industry in Karachi is not getting gas, then where the gas is going,” he asked.

“Karachi is the capital of Sindh, and gas is produced in this province, but there is no gas in Karachi,” he regretted. In a reply to a question, he said the mini-budget was being brought on the directions of the IMF. “The PTI government says Pakistan is the cheapest country in the world, while in fact Pakistan is the third most expensive country in the world,” he said.

Ghani said the IMF agreement should have been presented before the parliament. “The people know that what the governor Punjab said about the IMF deal,” he added. In a reply to another question regarding Justice (retd) Wajihuddin comments on Prime Minister Imran Khan, Ghani said everyone knows what he (Wajihuddin) has said. “The PTI as a party is corrupt and the PTI’s party tickets were sold. Wouldn’t such people be corrupt,” he asked.

To a question, Ghani alleged that the MQM leaders were still following Altaf Hussain’s philosophy. Saeed Ghani said two major incidents took place on Dec 16, but both could not be investigated properly: one was the disintegration of Pakistan, and the other was the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack.