KARACHI: Opposition lawmakers staged a protest in the Sindh Assembly on Monday against their arrest a day earlier.
The protest erupted during the question hour related to the Universities and Boards Department when Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) MPA Muhammad Farooq rose on a point of order to speak about his arrest on February 8.
Panel of Chairperson Rehana Laghari asked him to wait until the completion of the proceedings, assuring him that he would be given the floor later. This prompted opposition members to raise slogans in protest, though the chair continued with the question hour.
When later allowed to speak, Farooq described his arrest as “state terrorism,” alleging that police raided a peaceful Jamaat-e-Islami press conference on the directives of Provincial Law and Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar. He demanded to know under which law such action had been taken and said denying him the right to speak on a point of order amounted to dictatorship.
He asserted that Jamaat-e-Islami would not be intimidated by arrests or retaliatory actions. “What kind of democracy is this where one is neither allowed to speak inside the assembly nor protest outside,” he asked, vowing that their protest sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly would be held on February 14 under all circumstances.
During the debate, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Wajid Hussain Khan told the House that he, too, had been arrested a day earlier and subjected to torture. He alleged that Korangi police took money from his pocket. He demanded removal of the station house officer responsible for the alleged mistreatment. He said he had sworn before the home minister that he was not involved in any criminal activity.
Earlier, responding to written and supplementary questions, Provincial Minister for Universities and Educational Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo informed the House that 10 new universities had been established in Sindh over the past 17 years, while 16 campuses had also been set up. He acknowledged a shortage of buses for universities and campuses but said transport points were operating from Korangi and Malir to the University of Karachi.
MQM MPA Shariq Jamali criticised the poor condition of university buses, referring to them as “hearse buses.” In response, Rahoo admitted that some buses were in poor condition and said that 15 of them were currently out of order, though he maintained that those presently in operation were in comparatively better condition.
During the session, Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar presented the audit report of the Sindh AIDS Control Programme, which was referred to the Public Accounts Committee. He also laid the report of the Council of Islamic Ideology before the House. The Sindh Assembly session was later adjourned until 2:30 pm on Tuesday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026