HYDERABAD: Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Naheed Khan has said that interim federal government has thoroughly failed its initial test as it should have removed governors of all provinces but they are still in office.
She said at a press conference at the local press club on Friday that the interim set-up should also have evolved a policy for election but it did not do so while ministries had been doled out to favourites only.
She stressed the need for accountability of all and said she aimed to continue the mission of slain chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto. Asif Ali Zardari had damaged PPP more than late dictator Ziaul Haq. Even after having remained president of the country, Mr Zardari failed to have proper probe conducted into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, she said.
She appealed to chief justice of Pakistan and chief of army staff to feel the pain of families of missing persons and if they had committed crimes, they should be produced in court instead of being held incommunicado.
On the occasion, Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, chief of Anjuman Abbasia Pakistan Sindh, and an independent candidate for NA-225, announced withdrawing papers in favour of Naheed Khan and said that he believed she could fight for the rights of Sindh better than he could.
GDA to form next govt in Sindh: Mahar
SUKKUR: GDA leader Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar has said that he has high hopes the alliance will be able to form the next government in Sindh.
Talking to reporters at his residence in Khangarh near Ghotki on Friday, he said that he saw easy wins for his group in Ghotki and Sukkur districts.
He said that the Mahar family was not divided and made clear he had no hand in the rejection of nomination papers of Mohammad Bakhsh Mahar.
GDA takes back PS-26 ticket from Ghous Ali Shah
KHAIRPUR: Veteran politician Syed Ghous Ali Shah has said that he has no objection to GDA head Pir Sahib Pagaro’s decision to take back ticket for PS-26 (Khairpur-I) from him and allotting the same to Lala Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh.
Mr Shah said at a corner meeting late on Thursday evening that it was part of politics and would have no bearing on his spirit.
He said that contest was not between candidates; it was between political parties. Mr Shah will now contest only NA-208 against PPP’s Nafisa Shah. He was previously allotted two tickets by GDA for PS-26 and NA-208.
‘PPP leaders using govt machinery’
BADIN: Elder son of Dr Zulfikar Mirza and a candidate for PS-72 (Tando Bago), Barrister Hasnain Mirza, has accused PPP candidates of using government machinery to rig election.
He demanded immediate removal of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority chairman Mohammad Nawaz Chandio and said “Mr Chandio is openly blackmailing voters with water and forcing them to vote for his brother Haji Rasool Bux Chandio,” he alleged.
He said that GDA had announced names of final candidates from Badin and the alliance’s candidates had already submitted their affiliation certificates to returning officers in Badin and in Matli.
He said that his younger brother Hassam Mirza would contest against PPP’s Mir Ghulam Ali Khan Talpur for NA-229. Dr Fehmida Mirza would be in the race for NA-230 and PS-73 against PPP’s Haji Rasool Bux Chandio and Taj Mohammad Mallah and Dr Zulfikar Mirza would contest PS-74 against Mohammad Ismail Rahu.
Dr Abdullah Talpur, a close aide of Dr Mirza would contest PS-71 (Talhar) against Allah Bux Talpur of PPP while he himself would contest PS-72 (Tando Bago) against his arch-rival Syed Ali Bux aka Pappu Shah of PPP, he said.
Riaz Khan Nizamani was awarded GDA ticket to contest election against seasoned politician and PPP candidate Bashir Ahmed Halepoto on PS-70 Matli, he said.
Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2018
