KARACHI: Leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party and key members of the Sindh cabinet on Saturday called the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Larkana rally a ‘failed political show’ and criticised Imran Khan for joining those known for their ‘anti-education stance’ in the rural parts of the province.

“The Larkana rally of the PTI was actually organised by the Unnar brothers,” senior Sindh minister Nisar Khuhro told a press conference at the PPP media cell. “I ask Imran Khan if he ever questioned the role of the Unnar brothers in converting all government schools in their strongholds into their personal property. It’s so unfortunate that Mr Khan on the one hand promised education for Sindh children and on the other joined hands with those who are known for their anti-education stance in the province.”

Accompanied by Sindh information minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Senators Saeed Ghani, Taj Haider and other party leaders, Mr Khuhro said that the people of Sindh had rejected the PTI slogan of ‘fake change’ by not participating in its rally, which was hardly attended by between 10,000 and 12,000 people.

“The PTI has attained the peak of hypocrisy and U-turns as the party which vowed to build the Kalabagh dam in its manifesto lied to the people of Sindh that it never supported the project only to win their hearts. But Mr Khan and his advisers must learn that people are not so foolish as to believe his lies and rapidly changing statements,” he said.

Mr Memon said on the occasion that the PTI chief was ‘desperate’ to become the country’s prime minister but he should know that Pakistan was no more the ‘personal property of any dictator’ and one would have to establish oneself as the people’s choice to become their leader.

“Imran Khan and his aides are handpicked by the past dictators. Shah Mehmood Qureshi is one of the examples who left the PPP only when he was asked to step down as foreign minister. Before that he never spoke against the party neither found any problem with our leadership,” he said.

“It is hard to believe that the PTI was criticising and levelling false allegations against the provincial government instead of being thankful to it for providing full support and facilities for their rally. The PTI and their leaders are consistently humiliating Sindh and they should apologise for that.”

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2014