HYDERABAD: Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Latif Palijo and Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi have called for an end to ongoing political confrontation and cautioned that if the present chaos is not resolved, it may result in serious consequences.

They said that what was playing out on the political scene these days was tantamount to playing with survival, future, economy, justice and democracy of the country, and urged all politicians not to tear apart constitution of the country for petty interests.

Mr Palijo said in a statement issued here on Wednesday that that Pakistan should not be reduced to an experimental laboratory for political tests. People of smaller provinces considered constitution to be the last hope which had kept them connected with this country, he said.

He said that this constitution should not be torn apart for petty interests. Pakistan could not make any progress without supremacy of constitution, law, justice and transparent rule, he said.

He said the negative tendencies for nepotism, corruption and dictatorship would lead to destruction. In developed world, countries always progressed by following the path of constitution, merit, justice and transparency and contrary to that in Pakistan the powerful always tended to violate constitution and law, he said.

He said that national resources and peoples’ wealth had been looted and plundered while institutions had been destroyed. Merit had been violated and public sector education system in Sindh had been destroyed, he said.

He called for a democratic system based on parity, constitution and law and said that system and not the personalities should be strengthened.

Dr Magsi expressed fear in a statement that if present crisis was not resolved it could lead to serious consequences. Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had harmed the credibility of opposition by playing a negative role in politics, he said.

He said that powerful forces of the country had decided to run this hybrid system of governance for ten years for which they had made plans accordingly but unfortunately “a mentally unstable person” upset the apple cart.

He said that these forces were still struggling to make sure that Shahbaz Sharif did not become prime minister and that was why the issue had been embroiled in legal battle.

He said that these forces were also successful to defeat what he considered popular Vote ko izzat do slogan raised Nawaz Sharif four years ago.

He said that unless the oppressed people were given their rights on the basis of equality this country would keep witnessing such crisis after crisis. People of Sindh must understand that PPP had always been given power as a result of bargaining after having been elected to assemblies with the support of people of Sindh, he said.

He said that Sindh was not on the agenda of any federalist party, therefore, people of Sindh should support only Sindh-friendly nationalist forces.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2022