February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 28: The verdict given by the Sindhi people on Feb 18 in the favour of the pro-democracy forces should be accepted by all and any sinister mover against the mandate of the people will face stiff opposition from the Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM).

This was stated by JSM Chairman Abdul Khalique Junejo in response to reports that certain forces were trying to subvert the mandate given by the people of Sindh against the anti-Musharraf forces.

Mr Junejo said that the central committee of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz would meet next month to review the rapidly changing political situation.

The JSM chief was of the view that the 2008 election results had clearly indicated that the people of Sindh had collectively rejected the oppressive policies of the Musharraf government and its so-called mega projects.

Mr Junejo argued that Sindh had voted for political changes in the structure of state wherein the sovereignty of the Sindhi people be recognised as the true rulers of the country.

He said that nowhere in the world, the verdict of a particular city was considered the opinion of the majority and imposed on the entire province or the state.

Had this been the criterion, then the right to rule Islamabad went to the PML-N as it had secured majority seats in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Mr Junejo said.

He urged the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to respect the verdict of the Sindhi people and end the repressive policies being pursued by successive rulers of the country.

The JSM chief said that proposed construction of the Kalabagh Dam must be stopped, National Finance Commission (NFC) award be revised according to the demands of Sindh and the persisting water issue be resolved.

Mr Junejo also suggested that the existing local bodies system be abolished.

Speaking about the various crises being faced by the country, he said that the problems could not be solved by a mere change in the government. He said his party did not believe in a change of faces, but it wanted the powers that be to respect the rights of the federating units.

In a federation, he said both the federation and the federating units decided their mutual powers and distribution of resources, but unfortunately, this was not the case in Pakistan and as a result the country continued to face one crisis after another.