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JACOBABAD, Oct 25: The Jacobabad Citizens’ Alliance launched a protest movement against non-availability of potable water, unannounced loadshedding, encroachments by influential persons and increasing trend of social evils in the city.
The alliance consisting of over hundred social, political, religious, trade and business unions, parties and associations, staged protest rallies here on Saturday.
They shouted slogans against non-supply of drinking water to the people despite completion of a mega water supply scheme costing billions of rupees, encroachments and illegal occupation of land by the land mafia, artificial loadshedding and other social evils.
Participants of several rallies converged at main Sarafa Bazaar, where hundreds of people observed a token hunger strike for two hours. They were led by president Citizens Alliance Jacobabad, Mohammad Akram Abro, Ahmed Ali Brohi of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr A.G.Ansari of JUI-F, president Hindu Panchayat, Lalchand Sitlani, Mohammad Aleem Khoso of PTA and others.
Later, a huge protest rally was taken out which paraded on the main roads and streets of the city and reached DCO chowk where they staged a protest sit-in. They also staged a sit-in outside the press club.
Speaking on the occasion, the leaders said that despite spending billions of rupees on mega water supply scheme, the people of the district were still deprived of clean drinking water and added that pipelines in many areas are yet to be laid.
They further alleged that funds of the scheme have also been misappropriated. They demanded an end to the problem of artificial loadshedding.
TALUKA NAZIM: Jacobabad Taluka Nazim Sajjad Hussain Jakhrani, said that the allegations levelled against him by the Citizens Alliance were false and unfounded.
Speaking at a press conference at taluka nazim house here on Saturday, he said that he would seek remedy from the court of law against what he called the “blackmailer” group. He said that this group consisted of few persons who wanted to blackmail him.
Mr Sajjad announced that drinking water connections would be given from Tuesday onward and alleged that district nazim was the stumbling block in supply of water to the people.
He said that an amount of Rs30 million was sanctioned through the efforts of MNA Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani for giving free connections to the poor and deserving people.
He said that president of Citizens Alliance had no status and alleged that he himself was involved in encroachments and land grabbing.
Mr Sajjad also criticised chairman senate, Mohammadmian Soomro and his mother and district nazim, Begum Saeeda Soomro, and said that they lived in Islamabad and were not aware of the problems of the people of Jacobabad.
He alleged that Citizens Alliance wanted to build 10 shops at main Boat chowk while he wanted to construct a library.
