BADIN: Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) chief Ayaz Latif Palijo has held the government responsible for water crisis in lower Sindh and migration of people from the rural areas to towns and cities of the province.

Addressing a conference on education organised by the Young Soomra Association here late on Sunday evening, he said it was a matter of grave concern that people of this mineral-rich district (Badin) were forced to seek charity for their survival in the wake of water crisis which, according to him, prevailed due to the government’s incompetence and indifferent attitude.

“Free distribution of wheat bags among the drought-hit Tharis as well as people of Badin, Sujawal, Thatta and other districts is not the solution to the chronic problem,” he added while talking to this reporter on the sidelines of the conference.

He alleged that sugar millers were hand in glove with officials of the Sindh government to deprive farmers of the genuine price of their commodity.

Mr Palijo alleged that Sindh’s rulers had no courage to take up the issues, including that of water crisis, at proper forums since they too were involved in diverting water to their own lands from the shares of other landowners.

Sindh’s rulers, instead of raising the real issues at the proper forums in Islamabad, always tried to defend their “corrupt cronies” like Dr Asim, Anwar Majeed and others, he said.

He said: “Asif Ali Zardari, having seen no way out of hot water, has been issuing harsh statements to put pressure on those who are tightening noose around his neck because of his malpractices.” He was highly critical of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who according to him, was also indifferent towards the real issues of Sindh like severe water crisis, deaths of infants in Thar, energy crises, issuance of CNICs to aliens, rampant corruption etc.

Mr Palijo said they had pinned high hopes on Imran Khan before the general elections and they were still waiting for him to announce some development and relief packages for Sindh to end the deep sense of deprivation among the people of the province.

“People, who have already got sick of the PPP’s rule, are fast getting disappointed with the indifferent attitude of the prime minister and his team,” he added.

He claimed that most of the members inducted by the PTI government in the federal cabinet were immature and incompetent.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2018