HYDERABAD: Adviser to the Chief Minister on Labour Senator Saeed Ghani has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has the right to raise its voice over issues but the lockdown of Islamabad it has planned is somewhat not a matter of right.

Speaking to the media at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Irfan Gul Magsi here on Tuesday, Senator Ghani said that if PTI chief Imran Khan failed to achieve his objective even after the Islamabad lockdown, this [failure] would ultimately weaken the opposition and strengthen the prime minister and his government.

Mr Khan had already caused a dent to the unity of the opposition, he observed, and cautioned him that if legislation on issues like the Panama Papers leak was done, Mr Khan would have no justification for his protest movement.

Mr Ghani, however, also made it clear that it was now up to PM Nawaz Sharif as to how would he save his family facing corruption charges and curb terrorism in the country.

The senator was of the view that it was not a big deal for the government to stop the PTI protest in Islamabad.

Regarding allegations of bloodshed in Karachi and other parts of Sindh in the past, Senator Ghani said everyone know as to who committed massacres in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur and who inducted terrorists in various departments. If the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan was in possession of evidence or proofs [to help expose them], it must produce them in court or bring them before the media, he said in reply to a question about the allegations levelled by the MQM-Pakistan against some PPP ministers and leaders. “Such allegations are a big joke,” he said.

He stressed need for unity of all political parties against terrorism. He strongly condemned the gory incident of Quetta and said that the witnessed two such acts of terrorism in recent months.

He said that the National Action Plan must be implemented but the [federal] government seemed to have some other priorities.

Published in Dawn October 26th, 2016