HYDERABAD: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said that the masses had given Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf its mandate for five years and Imran Khan was elected the prime minister for the term. The government had not come into power through the back door, he said, adding that the dharna planned by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to seek power would not succeed.

The governor was speaking to the media after attending a debate competition at the Cadet College Petaro on Saturday.

He said that PM Imran Khan achieved this milestone after a 22-year-long struggle. “He cannot be ousted through a shortcut”, he remarked.

He said that holding of peaceful protest was a democratic right of every citizen but no one would be allowed to cause chaos in the garb of protest. He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman should review his decision considering the fact that anti-state elements were out to destabilise Pakistan. All attempts by such elements would, however, be foiled, he declared.

Earlier, addressing the cadets at the ceremony, Governor Ismail said that it was heartening to see institutions like the Cadet College Petaro existed in Pakistan where extracurricular activities along with curricular ones were organised for the grooming of students. He noted that the college provided best opportunities in this regard, and described the college as the country’s best institution which, he observed, played an important role in the development of education sector.

He said that the students who passed out from this great institution were serving in the Pakistan Army and sectors like health, education and economy outstandingly. He emphasised the need for more efforts in this regard by all stakeholders.

“Those who aim for bigger things always emerge successful in difficult phase of their lives with their devotion and hard work,” he remarked.

The governor urged students not to be afraid of failures because difficulties always offered an opportunity to learn something. He said students should remain steadfast in their struggle and face everything with perseverance.

Governor Ismail gave away shields among winners of the competition. He went round different parts of the college along with its principal, Commodore Mehboob Illahi Malik, and also planted a sapling.

PTI workers’ convention

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi, addressing Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers’ convention outside the local press club late on Friday evening, said that “elimination” of Pakistan Peoples Party was essential for bringing about a change in Sindh, which had been destroyed by PPP in its 12 years of rule.

He claimed that no political party now supported PPP and that was why [Sind Information Minister] Saeed Ghani had told JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to rethink about his party’s support to PPP’s rival candidate in Larkana.

“PPP has now become a family’s party, which has destroyed the health and education sectors over the last 12 years,” he claimed, pointing out that schools in the province were without teachers and furniture and government hospitals did not have even anti-rabies vaccines.

PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh also lashed out at the PPP government in Sindh and vowed to launch a campaign to expose it after completion of the ongoing ‘Clean Karachi’ drive. He deplored that the PPP government had stomached even the funds which were meant for sewerage system and garbage lifting.

The PTI lawmaker observed that the local government (LG) system had gone to the dogs.

PTI MNA Nuzhat Pathan, Mehfooz Ursani, Ali Hingoro and other party leaders also spoke.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2019