PPP holds protests against ‘Centre’s control’ of Karachi

SUKKUR: The PPP workers in Sukkur, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Mithi, Thatta, Dadu, Sujawal held rallies on Wednesday to protest against a federal government's proposal of taking over Karachi in the wake of strong criticism against the provincial government’s failure to manage the civic issues of the country’s economic hub.

In Mithi, the PPP workers carrying party flags and banners paraded through different roads and streets to finally converge at the Kashmir Chowk of Mithi where they staged a two-hour-long demonstration terming the proposal an anti-democratic move.

MPA Fakeer Sher Mohammad Bilalani and other PPP leaders including Advocate Veerji Kolhi, Shushil Malani, Nandlal Malhi Samtra Manjani addressed the rally. They said that the democratic-loving people of Sindh have always resisted and rendered sacrifices for democracy and would never allow any dictatorial moves to wrestle away part of the province.

They said they would also resist any division of the province. The speakers said that the party under the able and dynamic leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would foil the agenda of the anti-democratic forces.

The workers of PPP district Thatta also took out a rally and protested against the proposed enforcement of Article 149 (4) of the Constitution allowing the federal government to take over the administrative affairs of Karachi. Later, they staged a sit-in, in front of the Thatta Press Club.

The rally was led by PPP Thatta's president Sadiq Ali Memon and was attended by MPA Ayaz Shah Sheerazi, ex MNA Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro, ex-MPA Ghulam Qadir Palijo, PPP district information secretary Imtiaz Qureshi, Abdul Hameed Panhwar, Shah Nawaz Lohar.

Addressing the protesters, PPP Thatta's president said the PTI led regime is bent to isolating Karachi from Sindh one way or the other. He said sometimes they raise the specter of governor’s rule and now they are trying to invoke certain articles of the Constitution to take over the economic hub, which is unlawful and unconstitutional.

The other speakers said the development in Sindh has been held hostage by the PTI led federal government that has denied the rightful share of the NFC Award and other funds to Sindh. They said the paucity of funds has slowed and stopped several uplift schemes. They said being the capital of Sindh, PPP has the right to defend Karachi from conspiracies hatched by the Imran regime.