KARACHI: The Muutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has announced that it
would boycott joint sitting of the Parliament to which President Asif
Ali Zardari is scheduled to address to mark the beginning of the new
parliamentary year.
The MQM has announced of boycotting President Asif Ali Zardari’s address to the joint session of Parliament on Saturday.
The
boycott will be in protest of extortion in Karachi. On Friday MQM MNA’s
protested in the National Assembly and MNA Wassem Akhtar said that if
measures against extortion were not taken then they would not allow
President Zardari’s address to take place.
MQM MNA Haider Abbas
Rizvi also stressed that only President Zardari could stop extortion in
Karachi. Protests were also held in and outside the Sindh Assembly as
the MQM and Karachi traders announced that they would be observing a
black day in the city on Saturday.
Earlier, Muttahida Qaumi
Movement (MQM) lawmakers protested inside the Sindh Assenbly while a
large number of its workers protested outside against extortion and
Parchi Mafia.
The MQM legislators chanted slogans against
extortion inside the provincial assembly in front of the desk of the
Speaker. Deputy Speaker Shahla Raza presided over the session which was
later adjourned till Monday, 10 am. The speaker held MQM’s attitude
responsible for the adjournment.
MQM MPAs were holding placards
inscribed with slogans against extortion and asking Sindh Chief Minister
to take notice of the situation.
Earlier, a joint emergent
meeting of MQM Coordination Committee Pakistan and London chapters
decided to protest against extortionist mafia in and outside Sindh
Assembly on Friday. Online