MIRPURKHAS: Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Educational Boards and Universities, Works and Services Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said it is unfortunate that former Sindh chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Shah failed to be even-handed in election of Senate chairman as he was clearly seen more lenient to treasury benches.

Khuhro, who is also president of Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh chapter, said at a press conference at a party leader’s house here on Saturday said that Pakistan Democratic Movement’s protest campaign against “selected” federal government would enter its second phase with ‘long march’ to Islamabad on March 26.

He said that PDM was struggling for the restoration of a genuinely representative government and ridding people of unemployment, price hike and uncertainty.

He said that all the component parties of the PDM had decided to keep pressure on the federal government till its ouster. The long march had great importance for the country as it would culminate in the replacement of the “artificial” government whose policies had devastated the country, he said, adding Sindhi people would show the same spirit for the long march that they had exhibited in MRD movement against dictatorship.

Khuhro said in reply to questions that cameras had been fitted in polling booths to spy on senators in violation of directives of Supreme Court.

He said the PPP had inflicted defeat on the federal government in by-election as people in Sindh had completely rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in both rural and urban areas.

He said that in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well, the federal government had suffered defeats in by-polls while in Punjab the federal government was caught red-handed rigging election. As a result, the Election Commission of Pakistan cancelled the poll result, punished several officials and announced re-election in the constituency, he said.

He said that Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected senator with majority of votes thanks to efforts of PDM and federal government’s votes were reduced. The premier accused 17 of his MNAs of having sold their consciences by voting for Gilani but then took vote of confidence from the same tainted voters instead of taking action against them.

Khuhro said that he was personally visiting divisional headquarters and holding meetings with the party office-bearers and workers to prepare them for participating in the long march on Islamabad.

He said that each divisional headquarter should have a university for students of remote areas to ensure higher education at their doorsteps. Sindh government was already working on the plan.

Earlier, Khuhro held a meeting with the party office-bearers and lawmakers and urged them to attend the long march in large numbers to mount pressure on the federal government and force it to quit.

MNA Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, MNA Shamim Ara Panhwar, former federal minister Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, MPA Noor Ahmed Bhurgari, Aajiz Dhamra, Khairunnisa Mughal and other local leaders were present at the press conference.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2021