KARACHI: Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) chief Ayaz Latif Palijo has said there is no reason that Urdu- and Sindhi-speaking people of the province clash with each other as both are suffering “atrocities at the hands of the incompetent” Sindh government.

He was speaking to the participants in the ‘Love Sindh’ rally which after marching from the Quaid’s mausoleum converged into a public meeting near the Naz Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road here on Sunday.

The participants included a large number of women who were raising slogans and holding party flags, banners and placards against corruption, terrorism, division of Sindh, recent population census and conspiracies against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

On the occasion, authorities had taken strict measures for security to maintain peace.

Mr Palijo said all inhabitants of the province were suffering due to the poor performance of the provincial government and added that rampant corruption had turned Karachi into a garbage dump.

Addresses ‘Love Sindh’ rally, urges participants to support CPEC

He ruled out division of Sindh, saying that it would never be acceptable to the people of the province at any cost and nobody would be allowed to have a monopoly over Karachi.

The QAT chief extended invitation to all peace-loving forces to come forward and play their role in the progress and prosperity of the province.

Referring to the situation prevailing in Sindh, he said corruption was at its peak which had destroyed the province and left none of its institutions in working order.

He added the Sindh government was exploiting the farmers and the poor fully.

Vowing to resist the corruption of former president Asif Zardari, the QAT chief appealed to the Supreme Court to constitute a JIT on the pattern of Panama case and NAB references be filed against the “corrupt” rulers of Sindh.

He said the groups which were formed in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement after its split were no more than ‘gangs’ of the MQM chief.

“If people take some courage, look corrupt rulers in the eyes to get their rights and extend support to us, the next government will not be formed by the PPP but by the people themselves,” he added.

Mr Palijo said CPEC was their road to progress and prosperity and asked the people to own and support it.

He criticised Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Aseefa for tweeting in support of Sharjeel Inam Memon and Anwar Majeed almost daily while completely ignoring the downtrodden people of Sindh.

“The NAB instead of bargaining over corruption should arrest the people involved in corruption and register cases against them,” he added.

The QAT chief said he would stay in the province till his last breath even if all of his supporters left him to fight conspirators.

He also reiterated his party’s stand that they would not allow Zulfikarbad city to be built.

“Zardari, MQM chief and Imran Khan seldom look into the affairs of the province,” he said.

“The people of the province would have supported Nawaz Sharif had he not handed over the province to Zardari,” he further said.

Mr Palijo asked the people to extend support to the QAT if they wanted to get rid of corruption, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, wrong population census, division of Sindh, unemployment, poverty and other problems.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2017