KARACHI: PPP to take part in LB poll ‘despite provocation’
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 4: The PPP’s Sindh Council, amid some strong voices against those who violated party discipline, and demands for demolition of their fiefdoms through reorganization, announced its decision to contest in the third phase of local government election ‘despite provocation and rigging’.
The council, which met here on Sunday, also condemned the recent increase in petroleum prices and demanded that the hike be withdrawn.
Addressing a news conference after the meeting at the People’s Secretariat, PPP Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that during the meeting, the electoral process was reviewed and suggestions were solicited for improving the party’s performance in the future. Besides, the ‘massive rigging’, the participants also deliberated upon the party’s own shortcomings.
Mr Shah was accompanied by PPP’s central information secretary Taj Haider, provincial information secretary Dr Fahmida Mirza, additional information secretary Waqar Mehdi, Sassui Palejo, Manzoor Wassan and Sattar Bachani.
He told a questioner that the party chairperson, Ms Benazir Bhutto, had directed the cadre to fight it out and remain in the field in the third stage of the local body election despite all odds and provocation to protect and strengthen democratic process.
Mr Shah was of the view that had the elections been held under an independent election commission and a caretaker administration, the result would have been reflective of people’s aspirations.
He claimed that besides fixing of the ballot and torture of PPP supporters, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim was using police and other segments of the administration to kidnap elected councillors of Awam Dost group to rig the third phase of the polls.
He claimed that not only the police personnel stamped ballot papers in the interior, notorious dacoits with tags of substantial head-money had also been engaged in the nefarious game.
Mr Shah said that the council took serious notice of growing poverty and condemned the recent hike in oil prices. He demanded that the decision should be withdrawn.
When asked that whether there were any other factors, besides rigging, which contributed to the poor showing by the PPP-backed panel, Mr Shah said that the government’s manipulation was the main factor.
He played down criticism of the bigwigs for their act of violating the party discipline and supporting rival candidates, but pointed out that notices had been issued to Qurban Ali Shah and Mr Shaliani in this regard. Neither of the two was present in the council’s meeting to defend themselves. Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro also did not attend the meeting while the provincial secretary-general Nafees Siddiqui was away in connection with the ARD’s All-Party conference.
Manzoor Wassan and Sassui Palejo apprised the journalists of the excesses by the government in Thatta and Khairpur areas.
During the meeting, when the issue of violation of party discipline was raised by some members, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, according to sources, had asked them to submit their report for each instance of violation. On the basis of that report, a guideline would be sought from the party chairperson, he said.
Replying to a question about SNF chief Mumtaz Bhutto’s bid for a rapprochement with the PPP and claim that he had written a letter to him (Mr Shah) in this regard, the PPP’s provincial chief said that Mr Bhutto had sent him a message about two years back and sought reconciliation. “At that time, I was not the provincial chief of the party, but since then nothing of the sort has been received from Mr Bhutto.”
Almost everyone at the council’s meeting slammed the government for resorting to massive rigging but they, at the same time, demanded that those who were treating the party platform as their fiefdom should be shown the exit.
According to sources, the participants were generally demoralized by the party’s performance in the LB election due to the alleged excesses. Suggestions were put forward for reorganizing the party structure at UC level. The members called for making PSF, youth wing and labour wing pro-active. Considerable time was devoted to the mode of future struggle while stressing the need for gearing up mobilization.
The sources said that Anwar Bhutto and Ayaz Soomro gave an account of the party’s performance in Larkana, and held the view that in order to form government in that district, they would need the support of either Mumtaz Bhutto or the PML-F.
Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani gave his account of rigging and government excesses in his area. Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Nawab Yusuf Talpur, Rashid Rabbani, Rafiq Engineer, Taj Haider and others also spoke at the meeting.
Some members sought explanation of the party’s calling off the planned protest rallies. They were informed that it was done on the advice of the ARD. Mr Shah said that PPP was part of that alliance and it had to abide by its guidelines.
