BADIN: In sharp remarks against Prime Minister Imran Khan-led PTI’s government, former president Asif Ali Zardari said on Thursday the “powers of Islamabad” were beginning to realise that only the real representatives of people could run the country properly.

The PPP leader said he was making a speech in Urdu, instead of Sindhi, simply because he wanted to convey a certain message to the “powers in Islamabad”.

“The leaders created by you can’t run this country [efficiently], no matter how much you help them,” he said, adding that it was quite evident how the powers that be were helping the government.

In thinly-veiled reference to cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, he said certain individuals might have made a name as sportsmen but running a country was way beyond such people.

Says Pakistan was created by common people, not elite

“There’s a lot of wealth inside the country, but the elite living in Islamabad doesn’t have faith in the people,” said Mr Zardari at a public meeting of PPP workers and elders of Lowari Sharif Jamaat at the residence of Pir of Lowari Sharif, Pir Sadiq Shah.

He said the elite living in Islamabad did not create Pakistan but it came into being after people’s representatives sitting in the Sindh and Bengal assemblies passed resolutions calling for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent.

“I wish they had supported our government as well, during whose tenure both the industrial and agricultural sectors were performing well. In those days, the industrial units as well as agriculturists were making profits. But now everyone is making losses. Even cotton ginners are in loss,” he added.

People earning their livelihood by growing crops wanted that electricity, fertiliser and other material were provided to them on cheap rates, said the senior PPP leader. “They will only make profit when this happens.”

The Zulfikarabad scheme was a good project that aimed to resettle the people being affected by sea erosion, he said. “But some of our friends raised a hue and cry over it.”

Without naming the people responsible for wrongdoing, he said the politicians of Badin who had committed corruption would be made accountable. “They too will face audit.”

He said he was well aware of the issues of Badin district and other parts of lower Sindh.

Speaking on the occasion, provincial minister Mohammad Ismail Rahu said the PPP was united under the leadership of Mr Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and was not afraid of any threats hurled at it.

Pir Sadiq Shah thanked Mr Zardari for helping rebuild the shrines in Lowari Sharif and launching efforts to maintain peace in the tiny town.

Many important politicians of the region, including Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, Syed Nasir Ali Shah, Mir Allah Bux Talpur, Basheer Ahmed Halepoto, Arbab Lutufullah, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur and Taj Mohammad Mallah, were present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018