SUKKUR: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader MNA Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has said that nobody would remain hungry if three dams were constructed in the country.

“We want continuity of democracy in the country, but the system of threats [dhons dhamki] and monarchy is not acceptable,” he said in a programme titled ‘Meet the Press’ at the Sukkur Press Club on Tuesday.

He said if Prime Minister Imran Khan continued with his ‘U-turn’ policy its results would be very dangerous.

The last general elections were fair up to 6pm after which things changed, he said, adding that he remained silent in the interest of the country.

Mr Shah said that the regular session of the assembly was to be held on Sept 14 during which important matters and problems would be debated.

He said prices of different items had been increased up to a dangerous level while taxes were also being increased which would directly affect the people.

He said that despite having reservations about the elections, the PPP preferred to go to parliament, it being a supreme institution, and to strengthen the parliamentary system in the country.

He said that the PPP had asked Imran Khan to constitute a parliamentary committee to decide matters concerning the elections and that he (Mr Khan) had also asked for that but nothing was done so far.

The present government would be allowed to work and they would not create any hindrance, he added.

“We had given time to the past government and also would give time to the present government. We want continuity of democracy in the country but the system like kingdom and of dhons-dhamki is not acceptable.”

He said if Imran Khan carried out work on his slogans with commitment, it would be welcomed.

He said a big investment was required for giving jobs during the five-year tenure of the government while investment of $5,000 billion was required for the housing plan.

He said that politics was being done in the name of dams.

He said that 20 per cent of the country’s budget was the expense of one dam and the said dams might be constructed by stoppage of all projects.

He said that if three dams were constructed, nobody would remain hungry in the country and country would also develop.

A strong opposition was in front of the government, he said adding that there was a difference of only 28 votes between the government and the opposition.

He said there would be dangerous results if friendly countries like China, Iran and Malaysia were lost due to adopting the policy of ‘U-turn’.

Mr Shah said the PPP during the period of its government had decided that the chairmen of standing committees would be nominated as per parties’ position in the National Assembly and the PPP had nominated 14 chairmen of standing committees from the opposition side which continued during the government of the PML-N.

If the present government did not continue with it, it would be a negative development.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2018