UMERKOT/BADIN: PTI chief Imran Khan has attacked the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, saying the PPP chairman should become his student to learn politics as he has yet to qualify for it.

“My son, avoid (written) speeches and tell us your qualification. If you (Bilawal) are a product of democracy and believe in democracy then you should not deliver such speeches; but if you believe in dynastic politics, it’s another matter. Leadership means struggle and it takes time to learn the ropes. You have forgotten your mother tongue Sindhi and are unable to speak Urdu,” the PTI chairman said while addressing the party’s candidates for local bodies’ elections and public meetings in Umerkot and Badin districts on Friday.

He said the people of Sindh had been facing extreme poverty, lawlessness and injustices and were being deprived of their basic rights. “The fault lies not only with corrupt politicians you elect, but you (people)

are equally responsible for it. You don’t stand up against cruelty and injustice.”

Mr Khan regretted that people were being harassed by police and henchmen of feudal lords, but they kept quiet. He asked the people to besiege police stations if they were harassed and “break the bones of cruel people”.

About Kalabagh dam, he said if dams were necessary the government should take the people of Sindh into confidence.

The PTI chief lashed out at Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Altaf Hussain and Bilawal for what he called duping the gullible. He said Bilawal was using photos of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto for point-scoring and personal gains, adding that the PPP chairman needed training to do politics. “Politics is not done the way his is doing.”

NEW SINDH: Mr Khan said the PTI would not only make a “new Pakistan” but also a “new Sindh” with the power and votes of people, especially youths. He said Sindh had been facing a crisis of governance and massive corruption committed by successive governments in the province.

“The nexus between Asif Zardari and Altaf Hussain has already ruined the province,” the PTI chief alleged. After plundering the country, he said, Asif Zardari had fled to London and left behind Bilawal to dupe people.

About the election of the National Assembly speaker, Imran Khan said all parties got united against the PTI, but it stood alone for the sake of democracy and would continue to fight all corrupt people.

Imran Khan said the PTI would soon emerge as the biggest and most popular party in Sindh by kicking out feudal lords and empowering people by raising their awareness.

He said that although Badin was rich in natural resources, it always suffered because of bad governance and corruption by the ‘cronies of Zardari’. “The district faces the dual problem of flood and irrigation water.”

Mr Khan said religious minorities in Sindh were facing the “worst kind of victimisation”, vowing to end their misery if he came to power. He alleged that Asif Zardari got sugar mills of his opponents closed down, putting hundreds of people jobless.

Dr Arif Alvi, Allah Dad Nizamani, Junaid Leghari, Daud Nizamani and other PTI leaders also addressed the public meetings. A large number of women attended the meetings.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2015