HYDERABAD, Oct 16: Groups of Awami Tehreek (AT) activists on Tuesday staged demonstrations and sit-ins on various sections of the Superhighway and National Highway to lodge their protest against the recent passage of the Sindh Local Government Act, 2012 by the Sindh Assembly.

The call for a blockade of the highways was given by Awami Tehreek chief Ayaz Latif Palijo.

He led a big group of party colleagues who blocked the Tando Allahyar bypass for three hours causing suspension of all vehicular traffic on this section.

Speaking to the protesters, he said that the new local government system had been rejected not only by nationalist parties but also by other parties like Jamaat-i-Islami, ANP and PML-F.

He described Monday’s public meeting of PPP as a complete failure, claiming that “the crowd was arranged on rent and government employees and police personnel were forced to attend the meeting”.

He criticised Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon for their indecent remarks against AT women wing members, who had staged a tableau to highlight a national issue.

Mr Palijo said that while ridiculing AT women, the PPP leaders had perhaps forgotten that PPP’s Shazia Marri, Sharmeela Farooqui and other women activists had also been dancing in public on various occasions.

A large number of AT workers in Hyderabad city area also staged a sit-in and offered funeral prayers in absentia for the four nationalist activists killed during the ongoing agitation against the SPLGA, 2012.

The protesters, led by Alam Shah and Roshan Birhamani, raised slogans against President Asif Ali Zardari, Sindh Assembly speaker Nisar Khuhro and other PPP leaders.

The traffic flow on the highway remained suspended for about 30 minutes before the protesters dispersed peacefully. Activists and supporters of the Sindh United Party also took part in the protest.

Lawyers also continued their protest in sessions court against the LG law.

Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP) chairman Dr Qadir Magsi visited them on Tuesday and told them that the PPP public meeting was a ‘flop show’ despite use of official machinery.

He appreciated lawyers for their continued support in nationalist parties’ drive against the law.

STP activists led by Muzaffar Kalhoro, Feroz Mangi, Latif Ayaz, Sachal Gopang and others have been continuing their hunger strike for a 10th consecutive day against the new local government system at the Naseem Nagar roundabout.

In a separate event, over a dozen activists of the Sindh United Party (SUP) staged a demonstration against PPP leaders’ remarks against the late G.M. Syed and other nationalist leaders.

They raised slogans against President Zardari, Speaker Khuhro and other PPP leaders alleging that the PPP had handed over Sindh to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and compromised on Sindh’s integrity to save its government.

MIRPURKHAS: Ayaz Latif Palijo on Tuesday visited the house of Abdul Malik Nohani, who was killed during a protest in Digri town against the LG law last week, and condoled his death with the bereaved family.

During his visit to the district headquarter he spoke at a rally of Awami Tehreek activists at Mohammadi Colony in Digri.

Mr Palijo told them that the PPP had agreed to hand over key provincial departments, including the police and revenue, to the Karachi mayor under the new Act.

He said that PPP leaders at their public meeting talked a little about the LG law and much against Sindhi nationalists.

SUKKUR: Activists of the Awami Tehreek, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party, Sindh United Party and Jeay Sindh Mahaz and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz took out a joint rally, staged a sit-in and burnt tyres to block the Indus highway in Kandhkot on Tuesday.

Led by AT vice president Dada Qadir and local leaders of the other parties, the protesters marched from Clock Tower and reached the Kandhkot bypass to stage a sit-in.

Hundreds of vehicles remained stuck along both sides of the highway for three hours.

Speaking to the protesters, the leaders strongly criticised the PPP and the MQM for imposing a controversial LG law on Sindh and termed it a conspiracy to divide the province.

In Jacobabad, PPP Shaheed Bhutto group staged a demonstration and a sit-in while some of its activists observed a token hunger against the new law. A rally was also taken out to demand repeal of the law. They vowed to defend Sindh and safeguard its integrity.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: About 200 activists of Awami Tehreek, along with workers of other nationalist parties, PML-N and NPP took out a rally and staged a sit-in at the Moro bypass of the National Highway.

Criticising the PPP for enacting a law against the aspirations of the people of Sindh, they alleged that the ruling party had paved the ground for division of the province. They said that the new LG system was absolutely unacceptable to Sindh people.

Vehicular traffic on this section of the highway remained suspended for about one hour due to the sit-in.

KHAIRPUR: AT activists and several nationalist parties, as well as PPP-Shaheed Bhutto, organised rallies and demonstrations against the LG law here on Tuesday.

The protesters demanded repeal of the law and also condemned PPP leaders for their remarks against G. M. Syed and other nationalist leaders during the Hyderabad public meeting on Monday.They resolved to resist any move aimed at dividing Sindh.

Similar protests were held in Gambat and Ranipur.

THATTA: Awami Tehreek activists staged sit-ins at Gharo and Sujawal-Badin sections of the National Highway disrupting vehicular traffic for about an hour.

Led by Rasool Bux Rahujo, Arif Junejo, Ashraf Palijo, Mazhar Rahujo and Bilawal Lashari, the protesting men, women and children raised slogans against the PPP and local government law. They demanded immediate repeal of the law and vowed to foil any conspiracy against Sindh.

They also offered funeral prayers in absentia for the activists killed during the ongoing movement against the SPLGO.