22 October 2004	Friday	07 Ramazan 1425

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KARACHI, Oct 21: The PPP-P, Sindh, reviewed the political situation in the country and observed that it was passing through a grave political and constitutional crisis owing to 'anti-people and anti-democracy' policies being pursued by the government.

The observation came at a meeting of the party's Karachi coordination committee which was chaired by Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh chief of the PPP-P, at Bilawal House on Thursday. The meeting also reviewed the party's organizational matters.

Those who attended the meeting included Nawab Yusuf Talpur, Aftab Shaaban Mirani, Dr Safdar Abbasi, N. D. Khan, Nisar Khuhro, Makhdoom Jameeluz Zaman, Rashid Rabbani, Abdul Sattar Bachani, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Abdus Salam Thaheem, Abdul Khaliq Soomro, Waqar Mehdi and Lal Bakhsh Bhutto.

The committee was of the view that the government-sponsored bill in support of Gen Musharraf's retaining the President's office simultaneously with his military position tantamount to mutilating the Constitution, as well as democracy. It expressed concern over the prevailing law and order situation.

It slammed the government for unabated rise in unemployment which had touched the mark of 10 per cent while about 55 per cent of the country's population lived below poverty line. It also observed a remarkable increase in suicide rate and cost of utilities.

The committee noted with grave concern that shortage of water had been devastating crops in Sindh and badly affecting livelihood of peasant families. It demanded that Sindh must be given its due share in water.While reviewing the prevailing situation in Lyari, the committee deplored police excesses on Abdul Ghani Panjguri at, what it described as, the behest of the concerned TPO.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah condemned the rulers' attitude towards general public, saying that they appeared least bothered about the woes of the downtrodden people.