KARACHI, April 7: The lacklustre debate on the killing of MPA Abdullah Murad continued in the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday and members expressed their concern over the deteriorating law and order situation.

Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah did not allow members to speak on points of order because they failed to turn up on the scheduled time. He straight away initiated discussion on opposition leader's motion, and gave the floor to Ms Humaira Alvani of Peoples Party Parliamentarians.

Ms Alvani was of the view that Abdullah Murad was killed for raising issues concerning common man as well as against the mafia excavating reti-bajri from Malir riverbed. The member said that killing of the Rangers personnel in broad daylight could only be termed 'utter failure' of the government in maintaining law and order.

She slammed the government for not registering the FIR of Abdullah Murad killing as sought by the victim's relatives. She demanded that a parliamentary committee be constituted to investigate into the matter and ensure registration of the FIR.

Abdul Quddoos of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also condemned the Abdullah Murad's killing and deplored certain elements for levelling accusations at his party. He said that levelling baseless allegations was also a crime.

Pointing out that the government had kept the FIR open, he advised Mr Murad's heirs to get the names of suspects entered in it. He said that in this context, the issue of reti-bajri, land mafia, dispute over 13-acre piece of the Jamia Millia land and the conflict within Mr Murad's party should not be ignored.

Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi of PPP demanded that relatives of Abdullah Murad be allowed to lodge the FIR freely. "How did those living in London come to know that the murder was committed at the behest of Waderas?" he asked.

Dr Hameeda Khuhro of the treasury benches said Mr Murad's killing had not only shocked her party, but also the whole assembly. She deplored that the law and order situation in the province was precarious as everyone was threatened.

"The society is heading towards a big disaster," she remarked, and claimed that over the past 30 years, none of the successive governments had taken steps to prevent the decay.

Dr Nasrullah Baloch of PPP called for adopting a joint resolution on the FIR issue. When Mr Imam Ali of the MQM claimed that Abdullah Murad was not liked by many in the PPP, the opposition protested in unison and demanded that such remarks be expunged.

However, Mr Mohammad Hussain of the MQM, who was presiding the session at that time, refused to accept the demand. This sparked off a heated verbal bout between the MQM and PPP members. The situation turned more noisy when Mr Hussain hurled a warning at Nuzhat Pathan of PPP.

Shazia Ata Marri deplored Mr Murad's killing and regretted that members of this graduate assembly appeared not sincere in the matter. She said the law and order situation was deplorable, but the government was trying to paint a rosy picture of it.

She quoted an HRCP report as stating that 59 people had been killed since January, and that 74 women had been kidnapped in January alone whereas the number of dacoities had reached the 4,000 mark. These figures, she claimed, exposed the government's claim of an improvement in the law and order.

Mr Aslam Pervez of the MQM said the discussion on the registration of the FIR was uncalled for. Minister Arbab Rahim expressed his concern over killings of political figures every now and then and the role of 'hired assassins' in such incidents. The proceeding would resume on Thursday morning.