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Door for

dialogue open

for Altaf Group,

says Shah

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Abdullah Shah said here on Friday that "our doors are always open for dialogue with Altaf Group at any time" because the government believes that outstanding issues should be settled through dialogue.

He was talking to newsmen at Cantonment Railway Station after formally seeing off the Lahore-bound over-night non-stop airconditioned train.

The Chief Minister referred to the boycott of Altaf Group opposition in Sindh Assembly for the last several sessions and said "we felt delighted when they came to house on Wednesday and we thought that they have now ended their boycott and will discuss public problems at the forum to which they were returned by their electorates".

But our delight did not last long when they said they have turned up only to discuss Sindh Local Government Ordinance (Amendment) Bill.

Syed Abdullah Shah said it is not a democratic way to deal with public problems. It is our belief that in a democratic setup, assemblies serve as an important forum to discuss and resolve issues relating to the people.

He referred to reports in the press about Wednesday's proceedings of Sindh Assembly and said that it was not a democratic way for opposition MPAs to demonstrate such sort of behaviour to disturb the House. He said they should have demonstrated good parliamentary behaviour in the assemby.

Replying to a question the Chief Minister said it will be a happy occasion when Altaf Group would come to the dialogue table. He said "we have come into power through democratic means and want the democratic process to flourish".

To another question, the Chief Minister said there has been no change in the setup of government negotiating team. He pointed out that the problem was not as to the setup of negotiating team but the intentions should be sincere.

When asked as to when the ban on pagers and mobile phones will be lifted the Chief Minister pointed out that government has lifted ban on pillion riding and will also lift ban on pagers and mobiles as well when it will be satisfied that it will no more be misused. He said government banned these facilities only because of their misuse, although the concerned companies had to suffer on this account.

He said it was regrettable that killers of innocent people were described as "Shaheeds" instead of disowning them. "One should now give up terrorism", he urged.

The Chief Minister said that angels were not killing the innocent people. It were the terrorists who are involved. They kill people and when they are arrested, they do confess their guilty and still they are branded as "innocent", he observed.

Replying to a question, the Shah said the government has provided all relevant documents, proofs and evidences about Altaf Hussain to British government which is examining the same. He said the British government has its own laws and will take action accordingly.

Speaking in the context of railway fares, the Chief Minister observed that these are affordable by people.

He said that a new airport at Sehwan Sharif was nearing completion and will be inaugurated in May.-APP