HYDERABAD, March 10: A public gathering to mark the ninth death anniversary of communist leader Imam Ali Nazish has called on the upcoming government to eliminate jihadi culture and killing of people in the name of religion.

The gathering was held here on Sunday under the aegis of the Communist Party of Pakistan and attended by large number of people. The speakers included Chacha Maula Bux, general secretary of the CPP, Soofi Abdul Khaliq, chairman, Communist Mazdoor Kisan Party, Hussain Bux Thebo of the Sindh National Council, Ramzan Memon of the Qaumi Inqilabi Jamhoori Party, Momin Khan, Photo Rustmani and Imdad Kazi.

Mr Kazi said the election victory of the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Awami National Party was the victory of progressive forces against so-called jihadis who killed innocent people. He deplored that terrorists in Karachi had started sending dead bodies in bags.

He asked the leftists and civil society to put pressure on the new government for solving people’s problems. He said if 1973 constitution was restored, the sacked judges would automatically be restored.

He deplored that before and after the elections, the US ambassador had become very active and no day passed when she did not meet any political leader. The purpose of the visits was to convince the politicians to follow US agenda, he added.

The gathering demanded through resolutions independent foreign policy, provincial autonomy, an end to military operations in Balochistan and the NWFP, halt to privatization and repeal of the Industrial Relations Ordinance-2002.

It also demanded ban on commercial activities of the army, navy, air force and police and called for introduction of land reforms.—PPI