LARKANA: A leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Jatoi has announced filing a petition with “proof” against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari in the Sindh High Court.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday along with Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, son of Mumtaz Bhutto whose Sindh National Front (SNF) had recently merged with the PTI, he said: “We will provide alternative to people of Sindh in the shape of PTI”.

Mr Jatoi said soon a ‘white paper’ against the PPP will be issued. He predicted that the PTI would form future governments in the Centre and Sindh.

He alleged that Rs90 billion had been siphoned off in the name of development of Larkana, whereas the province had been destroyed as the roads were battered, schools closed, hospitals in a shambles and corruption rampant in municipal bodies.

Defective and rigid policies of the government had destroyed agriculture and economy both, he said adding that the growers were now compelled to let dry the cane crop since the political influence was coming in the way of announcement of sugar cane support price. Asif Zardari, he said, was owner of 17 sugar mills and he does not want growers to reap benefit. Abadgars were now sick of the situation.

Liaquat Jatoi appealed to the Chief Justice of the apex court and Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to take suo motu notices about the problems people of the province were facing.

Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif were two sides of the same coin, he said, and alleged that the two had looted the national exchequer and thereafter invested the ill-gotten wealth in purchasing properties abroad. He advised the leaders of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) to join the PTI.

He said in reply to a question that the PPP leaders had offered him to join the party and he himself had never approached the PPP. He spoke about the PPP’s excesses he and his comrades bore. He predicted of the falling of heavyweights in the next general elections. He said Nawaz Sharif was becoming dangerous for democracy as he was talking against national institutions.

He said no pro-people legislation was being done in the Sindh Assembly and termed it a rubber stamp. He said Dr Asim and Sharjeel Memon were involved in mega corruption and condemned the showering of rose petals on Mr Memon when he came to attend the Sindh Assembly session. Regarding Muttahida Qaumi Movement, he replied that it stood divided into three factions.

Terming Benazir Bhutto a great leader, he said that the PTI would open the murder cases of Benazir Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and others, once it came to power.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017