LARKANA: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has disclosed that his government is reinvestigating the infamous Karsaz carnage.

A twin blast followed by firing believed to be targeted against the then Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson Benazir Bhutto and participants in her massive homecoming rally had left more than 170 people dead and hundreds others wounded in Karachi on Oct 18, 2007.

Mr Shah, speaking to the media after laying wreaths on the graves of Bhuttos and Karsaz carnage victims, told the media that the PPP had never forgotten its martyrs. “We remember them and pay homage to them by holding gatherings in all district headquarters this day every year,” he said, adding: “I was also among the wounded victims.”

The chief minister said that Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, on the directives of Ms Bhutto, made repeated attempts to lodge an FIR of the carnage but they were not obliged by the police. “We are reinvestigating the episode. The DNA of all unknown martyrs have also been performed and if anyone’s heirs turned up, the relevant one will be handed over to them,” said Mr Shah.

Responding to reporters’ questions, the CM said that the PPP chairman had conveyed his four-point demand to the federal government and the next course of action would be announced on Dec 27 [the 9th anniversary of Ms Bhutto’s death anniversary] in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto if it remained unmet.

Mr Shah hinted at PPP’s intention to establish contacts with “serious and democratic political parties” after the [Dec 27] announcement. He remarked: “There are a few serious elements also present within the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).” He, however, advised PTI chief Imran Khan to better play cricket.

Regarding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s attitude towards Sindh, the chief minister said that he had in a meeting urged the PM to take along all four provinces [over national issues]. “But in most of the PM’s meetings on such issues, only one chief minister is seen sitting with him,” he observed.

Mr Shah said the PPP was a democratic political party and it would continue its struggle in accordance with the Constitution.

“No doubt, the slogan of ‘Go Nawaz Go’ is sounded in our rallies, but it is due to his indifferent attitude towards Sindh,” he told a questioner.

The chief minister was also asked about the future of Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, whose term in office ends in November. Mr Shah said it was the issue of the federal government and not to the Sindh government.

‘Oct 16 rally was launch of 2018 elections drive’

DADU: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Mr Bhutto-Zardari launched the PPP election campaign for the 2018 general elections with the massive Oct 16 rally in Karachi. Public meetings would be held next across the country, he added. He was speaking to journalists in Phakka village of Dadu taluka which he visited on Tuesday to offer his condolences to a party colleague, Syed Imdad Shah, on the death of his son, Dr Syed Ali Murdan Shah, in a road accident last week.

In reply to a question, the chief minister said that his government would implement the Supreme Court order relating to the Sindh Public Service Commission.

Sharing his views with the journalists regarding standard of education, he said the education department was divided into two parts in order to bring about an improvement.

The government was giving serious consideration to certain measures to be taken now when an ‘education emergency’ in the province had already been declared, he said. When his attention was drawn to problems being faced by education department employees, he said it’s ghost teachers who were resisting introduction of biometric system at schools. He also noted that there were employees of the department who were doing double jobs in violation of rules. They would have to face action, he added.

Responding to several questions about future of Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and an internal rift within the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the chief minister said that the party had been experiencing a rift within its ranks in the recent past.

“Several breakaway factions had already emerged and further splits cannot be ruled out,” he said, and explained that Governor Ibad belonged to that party in the past and it was up to the Centre whether to keep him in his present position or not because a governor served as a federal government representative.

Published in Dawn October 19th, 2016