March 2, 2003	Sunday	Zul Hijjah 28, 1423

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THATTA, March 1: Thousands of participants of a rally, organised by the ‘Stop Tyranny Committee,’ on Saturday criticized the Shirazi group and appreciated the Sindh Assembly for unanimously adopting a resolution against the construction of the greater Thal canal.

The rally was led by leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly and provincial chief of the PPP Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and president of the Awami Tehrik Rasool Bux Palejo.

Participants of the 10,000-strong rally, who began marching from Makli, converged in Thatta after having passed through the National Highway.

Later, the public meeting was addressed, among others by MPA Sassui Palejo, MPAs Abdullah Murad, Engineer Rafique, Pir Amjad Shah, Dr Wahid Soomro, Babu Ghulam Hussain and Arbab Wazir Ahmed Memon as well as the leaders of the Awami Tehrik.

Various speakers, on the occasion, described the members of the Shirazi group as being “representatives of agencies,” adding that they have been assigned the task of eliminating the influence of the PPP.

Speakers said that the Shirazi group had been given a free hand to implement the “nefarious designs” of the establishment.

They said that any such effort on part of the Shirazi group would be counterproductive.

PPP, which they said had proven to be an asset for the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy as well as other movements working against the authoritarian rule, would remain unvanquished despite the odds.

President of the Awami Tehrik Rasool Bux Palejo said his party would support the PPP in safeguarding the interests of the masses as well as the victims of the Shirazi group.

Mr Palejo accused two of the members of the Shirazi group — district Nazim Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi and Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi — of victimizing political opponents, misappropriating national wealth, abetting criminals and harassing people in connivance with the police and revenue officers.

The participants of the pubic meeting criticised the MPAs belonging to the Shirazi group for not attending the Friday session of the Sindh Assembly.

Mr Palejo announced free legal aid to the victims.

The rally took two hours to reach Thatta, blocked the flow of traffic on the National Highway for about three hours.