LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has decided to stage “tractor rallies” across the country from Jan 21 against the persisting urea fertiliser shortage as chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari approved the schedule for the protest.

The party’s decision to organise rallies was taken at a consultation held at Bilawal House here on Sunday.

The PPP chairman also sought suggestions from all provincial organisations of the party for holding the rallies meant for “showing solidarity with the farmers” facing an acute shortage of urea fertiliser in the country.

Offers fateha for those who died during Murree blizzard

A committee has also been formed, comprising representatives of the party’s provincial organisations, for effective coordination for the protest rallies.

The PPP leaders who joined the consultation included Nayyer Bukhari, Khurshid Shah, Naveed Qamar, Hassan Murtaza, Nawabzada Iftikhar, Shazi Khan, Shehzad Cheema and Zulfikar Ali Badar.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the PPP’s south Punjab executive committee held here under Mr Bhutto-Zardari offered fateha for the victims of Murree tragedy and criticised the PTI government for “blaming the victims”.

The meeting demanded a transparent inquiry into the tragedy, and strict punishment to those found guilty of dereliction of duty.

Mr Bhutto regretted that those who had been citing examples of prime ministers of European countries going to their offices on bicycles were now taking rides in helicopters to witness people dying on Murree roads.

He said the PPP could not play the role of a silent spectator as the government was oppressing the masses. The PPP’s long march, he added, was aimed at ending that oppression.

The PPP chairman was briefed on the current political scenario in the Seraiki belt and preparations being made by the party in connection with the proposed Feb 27 long march on Islamabad.

Ex-governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood joined the meeting through video link, while Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Bashir Riaz, Khwaja Rizwan Alam, Abdul Qadir Shaheen, Saleem Bhatti were also present there.

The meeting demanded a new local government system for Punjab, like the one being introduced in Sindh for “empowering the public representatives”.

Meanwhile, the committee set up to organise and coordinate the farmer solidarity march has been notified.

Syed Naveed Qamar, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Rozi Khan Kakar, Shuja Khan and Nawabzada Iftikhar Babar will be members of the committee, says the notification issued by the chairman’s political secretary Jameel Soomro.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2022