ISLAMABAD: Responding to Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) demand for handing over Karachi to army, Pakistan People Party (PPP) leader and opposition leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah termed the demand as undemocratic.
Earlier, the MQM chief Alatf Hussain had called upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to hand control of Karachi to the army citing the failure of the Sindh government to maintain law and order.
Moreover, during today’s National Assembly session, Deputy convener of MQM Farooq Sattar said that the government has failed in restoring peace in Karachi and demanded that following the Article 245, the city should be given under the army’s control.
The MQM leaders also staged a symbolic walkout from the house over the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi and Quetta, followed by the members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday, Khursheed Shah said handing over Karachi to army would be a slap on the face of democracy.
Shah said that MQM is also part of the Sindh government and it should not have made such a demand. He said solution of Karachi situation should be found through negotiations.
The opposition leader further said hat that a non-democratic demand by any party could result in a huge political mistake. Shah said the MQM demand could be part of a conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi asked the government to take the House into confidence over the law and order situation in Karachi.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad rejected MQM’s demand for handing over of Karachi to army.
Ahmad called upon all the political parties to sit together to find a solution to Karachi’s deteriorating situation.
On the other hand, Senator Tahir Mashadi in the Senate session said that the Sindh government has failed to maintain peace in the city, demanding to handover Karachi to the military.
