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THE PPP today behaves almost like a pauper who has spent all his fortune but who clings on to grand descriptions. It talks about past glory, of sacrifices, of its struggle against martial law.
It promises a new charter, even some kind of a revolution. Unfortunately, the party has very little to show for all this huffing and puffing; it has only progressed backwards and is sinking deeper with every move that it doesn’t make.
We may interject that this state of the PPP is more specific to Punjab. The fact is, however, that once the journey towards oblivion has begun in Punjab, decline elsewhere — in Sindh — cannot be far off.
Also read: PPP’s Punjab leadership was in favour of by-poll ‘boycott’
Indeed, given just how easily the PPP set-up in Sindh can be ridiculed, the slip in the home province has long begun for the party of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, or whichever PPP leader one would like the remnants to be associated with at the moment.
In Punjab, the sharp dip in the PPP’s vote bank may appear deceptively of recent origin. In fact, the rot had been setting in for long. It is easy to select certain incidents and trends from many and string them together to arrive at the same conclusion: the erosion of the popular choice that the PPP embodied.
Take the latest, the by-election in NA-122 that had the PPP candidate winning 803 votes.
As symbols go, the constituency comprises areas from where Benazir Bhutto had won in 1988 — her first election — and also localities from where Sheikh Rashid, the ‘father of socialism’, had lost in the same polls.
The areas in NA-122 in a sense then not only show how the PPP has failed to keep its original aura, they offer proof that Ms Bhutto’s influence has also withered away. So far as recent evidence goes, it is under Asif Zardari’s leadership that this popular choice has been dealt the most staggering blow.
The corruption tag that has discredited the party has been there for long even if public awareness is much greater now. It is above all the so-called policy of reconciliation, translated into inaction and meekness, which has, sadly, reduced the party to a toothless entity.
It was the people who kept the PPP alive, often in spite of the Bhuttos and Mr Zardari — especially so in Punjab where it was left to flourish organically without much organisation and local leadership. The people’s desire no longer seems to be there.
Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2015
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Comments (65) Closed
Oct 14, 2015 03:01am
The PPP are a family business set-up to make money, come to think of it, its exactly the as the PML. The defenders of democracy are nothing of the sort, just crooks out to make money.
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Oct 14, 2015 06:39am
The PPP lost its credibility after BB death. It is now Zardari league.
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Oct 14, 2015 07:23am
Abraham Lincoln said, democracy means, "Government Of the people, By the people and For the people. Political clout of Pakistan adopted it with its true letter and spirit but bit grammatically misunderstood. In Pakistan democracy means, "Government Off the people, Buy the people and Far the people. In simple idiom absent it from the people, purchase the people and keep yourself away from people.
Dragging PPP towards debating club is nothing, but the wastage of precious time because the dead body of PPP is under mausoleum in Garhi Khuda Bux after autopsy and postmortem. But the salient features of postmortem report are as under for other political parties to learn the lessons.
Causes of PPP death
1. Famine of leadership
2. Rise in rigidity wave
3. Corruption
4. Tall talking without concrete steps taken
5. No man murderer but simply a suicide case
6. Sentimental slogans and selling sacrifices in the political stock exchange of new millennium but no glimmer of hope for digital generation
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Oct 14, 2015 08:20am
To start with, Roti Kapra aur Makan was an empty slogan, Zardari & Bilawal Zardari walked on coattail of ZABhutto much too long, consequently people had no faith in both, father & son. It was a dynastic party , end was obvious.
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Oct 14, 2015 09:55am
The PPP is at this state only because of one man and that is Zardari. People of Pakistan still love their martyred leaders Benazir Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
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Oct 14, 2015 10:13am
History is often that which has been written by the rulers for their benefit. "It was the people who kept the PPP alive...". It was the 'people' who have kept most religions alive.
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Oct 14, 2015 10:45am
A sorry state for Pakistan's politics.Two national parties from Punjab and Sindh keeps the mosaic of politics bright.The blood of great leaders Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, her two beloved brothers and hundreds of people who was chained,flogged, maimed and set fire in protests should not go in vein.Two party based politics is yet to fulfill people's desire but sudden decline of one is not a news to welcome.Dawn provides a balanced view.
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Oct 14, 2015 11:04am
There is still wide open room for a "Peoples Party" in this country. A party that is rooted in farmers, peasants, workers, miners, day wage labourers, overseas menial job seekers and the likes. It has to be a party which is pragmatic, progressive and liberal in outlook and conduct. It should not bow to dictates of the powerful. Once upon a time, we had such a party with the same nomenclature. But surely, the present PPP is not what is enshrined above. Can the PPP has the ability to reincarnate it.
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Oct 14, 2015 11:15am
May I ask all the defenders and " glorifiers " of PPP. What is there about PPP & MR. Bhutto that is admired. Mr. Bhutto nationalized the education, banks, industries and left to rot and decay to the todays condition. His daughter and daughter's husband has not done much . What is there to praise the party of " roti, kapra & makan. ". Can DAWN help me to understand. As a twenty years old Mr. Bhutto was my man in seventies. What happened.
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Oct 14, 2015 11:21am
The decline of PPP in Punjab is a defeat for secular outlook and responsibility of which can be put on Zardari and persons around him who have tried to change total ideological thinking and lines of party . The present office holders in Punjab have always negated basic workers of party who are very much annoyed and hopeless whereas importance so was given to opponents during las rule of party who have close due to power . The was remained failed to launch media compaign effectively as it did not needed for it and was given only 10% time . The new generation does not know about Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto capabilities of leadership vision and existing leadership donot make efforts to promote image of Benazir . The threat from militant groups have also limited movement of leadership to contact public . The revival of party is only possible if corrupts are sidelined and pro people face are projected ,new manefesto for resolution of public basic problems should be launched .
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Oct 14, 2015 11:28am
The phenomenon called PPP was over rated right from the beginning. ZAB dealt a serious blow to a fast growing economy through the policy of nationalization, but kept PPP alive by shedding his blood. BB played the wronged one as a thorn in the eyes of establishment but continued with her corruption. Zardari was just the last nail in the coffin but had the democracy been allowed to flourish, PPP would have died its natural death in 1980s.
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Oct 14, 2015 11:58am
Mr Bhutto was politically alive until asif zardari became in charge of PPP,he destroyed the legacies of both Z.A.Bhutto and Benazir bhutto.there is only one possibility for the revival of PPP and that is a permanent retirement from politics of zardari his sister and his close aids
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Oct 14, 2015 12:33pm
It is the beginning of the End for so called elite rulers in Pakistan.
Parties will remain but there leadership will change.
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Oct 14, 2015 12:45pm
@MJKhan
I never understood the people living in a billion Rupees mansions taking about "roti, kapra aur makaan".
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Oct 14, 2015 12:54pm
The same consequences are awaiting this ''Zardari League'' in other provinces as well...
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Oct 14, 2015 01:00pm
Now PPP is in the state of 'Dementia'...!!
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Oct 14, 2015 01:02pm
The only good PPP is a PPP with ZERO vote and representation
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Oct 14, 2015 01:11pm
...PPP is in the state of 'Dementia'...!!!
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Oct 14, 2015 01:27pm
The main reason: PPP failed to develop Sindh, where they have now ruled for continuous 7 years without any opposition.
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Oct 14, 2015 01:29pm
Honestly speaking majority of the peoples in Pakistan are convinced that PPP government when ever it came to power was only good for the backpackers. In general masses never gained anything during PPP rule.
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Oct 14, 2015 01:50pm
PPP hierarchy have only one desire that is to mass wealth and grandeur for themselves while they are there in power. Betterment of their constituents is far from their mind.
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Oct 14, 2015 01:53pm
hybrid Bhuttos stand no chance ; any where in Pakistan .
What is there record in office ? Non deliverance on their own manifesto .
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Oct 14, 2015 01:56pm
It is 2015, things are very open to public and PPP and others cannot fool people all the times.
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Oct 14, 2015 01:57pm
Time to go down now, enough is enough.
People please vote for your rights not for party.
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Oct 14, 2015 02:00pm
Roti, Kapra aur Makaan ! At what cost ? Not defined. 5 star Roti, Silk , Egyptian cotton and Kashmir wool Kapra, and Palatial Makaan for the leaders ( read " looters") !
National projects and schemes named after children, a sign of imperial attitude. This is the democracy the people ( read "serfs" ) deserve.
Is there a saviour around? Please help us !!
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Oct 14, 2015 02:06pm
Who is responsible?Shahadat or Raqabat?
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Oct 14, 2015 02:22pm
I think PPP is not over. It has potential to revive part of its vote bank but for that to happen they need to sort out the unpopular AAZ/corruption (synonyms), show better governance in Sind, give up their lethargy, stick to their ideology of being a center left party, and channelize BBZ's energies towards addressing issues of today's Pakistan. Past sacrifices of leadership have won PPP more than enough votes over the decades. It is time now to reorganize or wait another 15-20 years till the present wave against dynasty politics subsides.
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Oct 14, 2015 02:26pm
Both PPP & PMLN are bunch of crooks out to make money, though PMLN manages corruption in more subtle ways which are very difficult to trace and catch - pure white collar crimes. None of these parties has a vision for the country or society other than benefiting themselves and their cronies - politics for them is becoming a business enterprise where the lower segments of society are ruthlessly exploited.
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Oct 14, 2015 02:34pm
Roti, kapra aur makaan was an empty slogan that Bhutto never had the means or intention to fulfill. But it appealed to the people who had little else. Also to Bhutto's credit, he recognized that public was feeling dis-enfranchised, with the military running the government for so long. By pushing for democracy, he gave them a voice. And that is his lasting legacy. Now its up to the people to recognize the crooks in either parties and not vote for them, baradari system be damned. Otherwise their lot will never improve.
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Oct 14, 2015 02:35pm
The PPP is dying now. The vacuum it leaves behind in Punjab is already being filled by the PTI, who will fill it in Sindh? The Sindhi separatist parties? Surely we do not want an ethnic chauvinist racist party of any ethnic group to fill that gap in Sindh.
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Oct 14, 2015 02:49pm
The PPP is the only party that has achieved its objective. It came to make money. It has done so.
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Oct 14, 2015 03:10pm
PPP had hidden agenda of maintaining feudal status quo in Sind. They are successful in this. However, this fact has contributed in their downfall in punjab where they were opposition to feudalism (or should have been) and they don't have any Bhutto left in their ranks to keep opposites policies in different provinces intact and still win election.Time has also changed. nevertheless it is only big federal party in Sind.
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Oct 14, 2015 03:12pm
Those who ruled on Benazir sympathetic vote are now seeking another innings of loot and plunder.
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Oct 14, 2015 03:23pm
Political parties are led by 'leaders' who can lead from the front and not by people like Zardari who are scared of coming in public. As I have said number of times PPP has no future under Zardari AND Bilawal. The party has to find a 'LEADER' in the real sense of the word for revival or even survival.
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Oct 14, 2015 03:33pm
@CJK I fear for PTI. Deserters from PPP are joining it in hoards! What's worse, they are bringing PPP culture with them under the patronage of Shah Mahmood Quraishi. Once in power, these Peeplians turned Insafians will immediately indulge in their old habits of minting money and would be totally out of control of IK!
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Oct 14, 2015 03:42pm
@Tariq : Sorry sir, you are not correct. The feudals intentionally keep the serfs illiterate and in debt so that they cannot challenge their masters for their rights and have no option but to grovel for the scraps handed out. Educate the public and give them job opportunities and you will see these looters hiding under rocks!
You may say accountability will fix them? That's a sick joke !
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Oct 14, 2015 04:02pm
If PPP wants to rejuvenate then they must get rid of Asif Zardari ASAP otherwise he will render once a major party into a 'Tonga party' very soon. Don't they understand? Don't they see this very obvious reality?
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Oct 14, 2015 04:05pm
PPP-Pakistan Past Party
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Oct 14, 2015 04:08pm
if it is not going to progress off course it will regress...what is new....If you're in favour of any policy - reform, revolution, stability, regression, whatever - if you're at least minimally moral, it's because you think it's somehow good for people. And good for people means conforming to their fundamental nature..... unfortunately that is not the case with any political party.... No minimally morality....
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Oct 14, 2015 04:15pm
This is an eye-opening piece of writing for the PPP, but I am sure, it will have no impact on PPP leadership, which is only concerned about its loot and plunder. After Punjab, the situation in Sindh, is also going to be tough and soon, PPP will have to have a humiliating defeat in its home province. The people of Sindh are simple and straightward, and they can not be beguiled and deceived anymore to vote for PPP because it is a martyrs party, and they are waiting for an alternate leadership, which can assuage their social and economic plight.
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Oct 14, 2015 04:22pm
Sorry current PPP leadership has nothing to offer. They are bereft of any new ideas. If they cling on to Bhutto name and have nothing new to offer they will simply disappear and hold their annual jamborees by the grave sides in Ghari Shahoo and nothing more. Hopefully they will not be able to fleece the people of Pakistan any more. But unfortunately the the Vedehra system in Sindh and South Punjab may allow them to cling on for a bit longer - let us hope not because we need a real and honest apposition in Pakistan that can offer an alternative to the current governance by Sharif family and friends.
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Oct 14, 2015 04:33pm
Problem with PPP dying out in Sindh is that it leaves the MQM as the only major party.
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Oct 14, 2015 04:34pm
Second richest man of the country, politics is not cup of tea. Every Pakistani should be proud of him, as we Indians are proud of Ambanis and et al.
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Oct 14, 2015 04:40pm
@Abbas Baloch 100% correct analysis about Zaradri League
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Oct 14, 2015 04:45pm
What has happened to the PPP.......is entirely their own doing. The fact that they have a government in Sindh is the misfortune of the people of Sindh.
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Oct 14, 2015 05:08pm
this party is the most corrupt of all the other parties put together.
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Oct 14, 2015 06:42pm
Every one level allegation against PPP. No one ready to think keh PPP ko koi bhi kam kerny ki ijazat di gai thi kia??? And Zardari silence over allegation and oppennents also ruined the party.
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Oct 14, 2015 07:39pm
Poor leadership and dismal governance ruins any political party, PPP cannot live on past laurels when it could not even investigate the murder of BB. Its time for new non Dynastic blood to infuse the party and its manifesto, other wise it will fail to get any mandate from the masses.
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Oct 14, 2015 07:51pm
To me PP is like "Basic Democracy" a spent bullet (Without killing anyone, worth killing, of course) They had some intelligent leaders, but leadership cannot be transferred to the next generation like the name of a political party. Old mantras don't help either!
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Oct 14, 2015 08:03pm
Asif Ali Zardari made the choice of making money, over the long term party interests. The result is a natural outcome of the choice he had made over several years. Peoples can't live on slogans, they need to see results, which improve their lives.
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Oct 14, 2015 09:27pm
I think the demise of Sindh started from Sindh, not from Punjab. Despite having almost a monarchy like grip over Sindh, the PP leaders did not choose to be Shaikh Rashids and Shaikh Mohammeds for interior Sinsh; instead they chose to be the Marcos. It is their complete failure of governance which disheartened even the most committed voters in Punjab where they could see that PML, for all its similar dynastic style, were actually doing some good works with the word dynamism not mistakenly associated with its chief minister.
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Oct 14, 2015 10:42pm
The Next Prime Minister Of Pakistan will be Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
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Oct 15, 2015 01:00am
PPP is out of North and Central Punjab, Karachi, KP and Baluchistan. It exists in rural sindh and areas of South Punjab close to Sindh and Baluchistan border.
All this means that they are competitive on 40 seats in rural sindh as well as about 20 seats in south punjab. So out of 272 seats they can compete only on 60 seats and win about 40+, provided the wind is blowing in their way in the elections.
For the other 210 seats they will be hard pressed to find a candidate to run.
If they get new leadership which is only half as good as BB then we are looking for 2028 or 2033 for them to mount a serious challenge to the power corridors.
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Oct 15, 2015 01:45am
Can somebody enlighten what are the achievements of PPP from its inception. How it came into power through denying the rights of majority party!!!!!!! The rest is history.
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Oct 15, 2015 01:55am
People have spoken. PPP is now a confirmed spent force.
PML-N should not remain under any illusions. It is next in line. The result of NA-122 portends this. Its candidate barely survived by the skin of the teeth, thanks to the in-house squabbling and wrangling in PTI.
But PTI's present demeanor also does not hold any promise of a revolution.
What after that? We would have come a full circle if PTI fails.
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Oct 15, 2015 02:19am
Totally agree with Old Ravian and sorry to say to those enchanted by the romance of this party but ZA Bhutto inflicted enough damage in 1971 & nationalization fiasco!
Benazir herself made terrible national decisions: Oil-fired powerplants and birth of circular debt for the utilities in the country + politicizing the Kalabag Dam.
Post 2008 was simply the worst thing to have happened to Pakistan!
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Oct 15, 2015 02:49am
Is it Zardari or Punjab has gone completely rightist. PPP was never popular in Punjab PPP was not allowed to form a government in Punjab since 1977. An even today it is not being allowed to enter Punjab. Most of GT Road TV Anchors who are rightist do not like PPP. Even in 1970 election which was most rigged election; the only reason Bhutto was allowed to win GT Road was because NAP and AWL would have won the majority. If we are not going to stop lying I do not see much of future for Pakistan.
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Oct 15, 2015 03:34am
God bless ppp, another party that is well deserved by pakistan and its people.
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Oct 15, 2015 05:35am
@Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali
Very correctly you have put the facts up, not to mention playing a big role in breaking Pakistan in two so he could be a PM.
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Oct 15, 2015 06:27am
@Mohammed
Defenders of democracy are crooks? Let me guess, you think Army rule is better. You think its preferable to attack democracy than to defend and improve it. You also probably never question whether corruption exists in the Army, or whether you just don't know about it because the Army is accountable to no one. And may be you've also never wondered why the armed forces of this country get huge plots of land for dirt cheap and then re-sell it back to the public for huge profits. Army has no role to place in the private sector, yet that does not seem to count as corruption in your eyes.
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Oct 15, 2015 06:56am
Next willl be N league.
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Oct 15, 2015 11:05am
The (Pakistan People's Party )is at this state only because of one man and that is Zardari. People of Pakistan still love their martyred leaders Benazir Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Every person give respect to Zardari because of Benazir Bhutto. and Zulfiqar Bhutto,
it was the people who kept the PPP alive, often in spite of the Bhuttos and Mr Zardari
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Oct 15, 2015 11:35am
Is PMLN taking note of PPP fate? They should be ready to face the music.
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Oct 15, 2015 04:02pm
@Citizen of Karachi: Please be careful in choosing words, when commenting. There is no demise of Sindh due to the bad performance of PPP, as it exists from ages and it is inheritor of the oldest Indus Valley Civilization. Sindh is, was, and will be existing till the last hour of judgment.
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Oct 15, 2015 04:07pm
Democracy is ineffective in Pakistan unless educated people increase in number. We have a system of democracy which idealize western system. We have a different culture and different problems.
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