Muttahida threatens to boycott parliament session

The government came under fire in the National Assembly over the ongoing violence and killings in Karachi while its coalition partner, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) threatened to boycott the current session of the Parliament from today (Wednesday).
The law and order situation dominated the proceedings of National Assembly on the private members day with coalition partners, who are also partners of the government in the troubled province, castigated the federal government for failure to take measures to restore peace in the city. "We will boycott the current session from today (Wednesday) if a response was not received from the government on worsening law and order situation in Karachi," said Abdul Qadir Khanzada of MQM before leading a walkout of his party over what he stated lukewarm response by the two major political parties on the situation in Karachi.
He said more than 50 people were killed in Karachi during the last two days, but not a single word was uttered in the parliament by the two major political parties, as if the situation in Karachi is none of their concern. In such a grim situation, he said MQM has to take a decision whether to sit in the parliament or not. Khanzada further stated that Karachi has become hostage at the hands of terrorists and it seems that law enforcement agencies have been kept away deliberately from the affairs of the city. Bushra Gohar of Awami National Party stated that people are being targeted in Karachi. "We are being told that a third force is behind the situation in the city," she said posing a question "whose responsibility it is to stop the third force."
She suggested a parliamentary committee should be constituted to oversee the prevailing law and order situation in Karachi and to give recommendations to the House. Speaking on a point of order, Abdul Rashid Godial of MQM said industrialists are closing down their industries in the export processing zones due to the bureaucratic problems. He urged the Prime Minister to take notice of the situation and save hundred of thousands of people from becoming unemployed.
Responding to a call attention notice regarding water shortage in the federal capital, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah said he was not satisfied with the details given by the authorities concerned. The minister said he has directed them to conduct a detailed survey to ascertain wastage of water through leakage as well as per capita average use of water. He said an MoU has also been signed with China for supply of water from River Indus with the claim by the authorities that the project would be completed in four years.