Caretaker regime in Sindh proving continuation of ‘corrupt’ PPP govt, alleges Naeem

The caretaker setup in Sindh has been proving itself a continuation of the ‘corrupt’ Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government as the interim government seems to be protecting political interests of the party.

Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman made these remarks on Monday while addressing a press conference held at the Idara Noor-e-Haq — the Karachi JI headquarters.

He was accompanied by Karachi JI Deputy Emir Engr Saleem Azhar, Karachi JI Information Secretary Zahid Askari, Liaquatabad Chairman Faraz Haseeb, North Nazimabad Chairman Atif Ali Khan and Public Aid Committee Vice President Imran Shahid. Commenting on the political landscape, Rehman said the escalation in political skirmishes between the PPP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) were nothing but an uninteresting drama. He said the parties had a history of targeting each other with friendly fire before the elections and joining hands at the culmination of polls.

He demanded that the parties belonging to the Pakistan Democratic Movement, including the PPP, MQM-P, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), explain what they had done for Karachi during their 16-month government.

He said the MQM-P always sold out the mandate of Karachi to feudal lords. He asked the PML-N and JUI-F to not support Murtaza Wahab if they were serious in any anti-PPP alliance in Sindh and Karachi’s development.

Rehman also condemned the attempts to increase the electricity tariff and the raise in the gas tariff by 173 per cent. He demanded that the government not increase the power tariff and also withdraw the massive and brutal hike in the gas tariff.

He called for the government to rationalise the tax regime as the prevailing regime received Rs264 billion in tax from the salaried class compare to only Rs4 billion from the agriculture sector.

The JI leader alleged that although claims were being made regarding bringing an end to the corrupt system in Sindh, the system was actually running smoothly and development funds had been plundered by 60 to 70 per cent.

He also lambasted the PPP, MQM-P and other political parties over their role pertaining to the K-IV water supply project, quota system and slashing the population and resources of Karachi to half.

Talking about the towns won by the JI in Karachi, he said the governmental machinery and the ‘installed’ mayor were employing delayed tactics and hurdles in functions of the towns under the JI chairmen. He warned them against such tactics against Karachi and its people.

Highlighting the plights of Palestinians in Gaza, he said Hamas had unmasked the hypocrisy of both the Western and Muslim world. The JI leader also criticised Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar for talking about the two-state theory — a term coined by the pro-Israeli governments to justify the existence of Israel.

He said that the so-called two-state theory is deviation from the country and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s principled stance against Israel. He warned that the JI would turn its protest towards the Prime Minister House if Kakar talked in favour of the two-state theory again.

Some Muslim countries had suggested suspension of the supply of oil to Israel and its allies and use of force against the Israeli aggression but the Muslim powers had refused such suggestions during the OIC session, he said, adding that it was the worst example of cowardice.