Thursday, July 14, 2011

Pakistan News: Karachi

Qaim appeals to Altaf to play his role for peace, harmony

Imtiaz AliFriday, July 15, 2011
 
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KARACHI: As many localities of the metropolis descended into violence on Wednesday night, devouring several lives and causing substantial damage to property, several PPP leaders and ministers on Thursday tried to pacify the situation by disowning Sindh Senior Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza’s hard-hitting media talk against the MQM leaders and Urdu-speaking people that triggered the unrest. Mirza himself extended an apology and clarified his position while Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah also urged MQM’s supreme leader Altaf Hussain to play a positive role for peace, harmony and brotherhood in the province.

In a statement issued by the Sindh Information Department, Senior Minister for Works and Services Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Mirza said whatever he said to the media at the residence of ANP Sindh chief at a dinner given to political leaders to celebrate the revival of the commissionerate system was his personal views, which did not reflect the PPP’s policy.

Mirza said his purpose was not to hurt the feelings of anyone but despite this if his statement had hurt sentiments of anyone, he was seeking an apology over it. He said Urdu-speaking people were his brothers and would always remain his brothers. Mirza, who is also in-charge minister for forest, said Urdu-speaking people had also rendered sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan while our elders in Pakistan and especially in Sindh embraced the migrants at the time of partition in 1947. Since then, we have been living like members of the same family.

Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, who is also the senior vice president of PPP Sindh, explained that on Wednesday night during his media talk, he pointed out a particular mindset, which was killing innocent people in the Sindh province. The senior minister said Pakistan’s survival required that we all shun our differences and adopt the path of reconciliation and should eliminate anti-humanity and anti-Pakistan elements from within our ranks.

In a related development, acting Director General Rangers Sindh Brigadier Zafar Iqbal called on Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House. He informed the provincial chief executive about the law and order situation in the metropolis since late Wednesday night. Zafar apprised that the Rangers personnel were present everywhere and were performing their assigned role to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

The chief minister directed the top Rangers official to take all necessary and possible steps to maintain law and order and protect the life of people and property in Sindh, especially in Karachi. Qaim Ali Shah said that protecting life and property of the people was the responsibility of the government and urged the citizens to remain peaceful and avoid taking law into their hands.

Separately, the chief minister, who is also PPP Sindh president, held a meeting with PPP leaders at the CM House on Thursday. The PPP Sindh information secretary and CM’s media consultant Waqar Mehdi told The News that Syed Qaim Ali Shah urged the party leaders to play their role to defuse the situation. He said the party leaders suggested to the provincial chief executive to deploy more personnel of law enforcement agencies in troubled localities of Karachi to maintain the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, the chief minister Sindh urged the MQM leader Altaf Hussain to play his positive role for peace and harmony in the province. He also urged the people not to take the law into their hands and promote peace for the country’s security. He believed that the people, especially of Karachi, would give a positive response to his appeal. Qaim Ali Shah said a significant number of Urdu-speaking people were also leaders and workers of the PPP. He said they also speak Urdu and address rallies in Urdu language. He said Urdu was the national language of Pakistan and long ago, poets of Sindh also composed their poetry in Urdu language. Qaim said we all are Muslims and Pakistanis and we have to end hatred and polarisation and play a joint role for progress and development of the country.
Meanwhile, the Mohajir Rabita Council issued a warning to the former home minister Sindh Zulfiqar Mirza and Awami National Party Sindh president Shahi Syed to leave the city within 48 hours or they could continue their protest, adding a new dimension to the security situation. However, the situation, to a large extent was defused by the MQM’s chief’s order to demonstrators to return home on Thursday evening.
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.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=7423&Cat=13&dt=7/15/2011

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