SUKKUR: The Tehreek-i-Lab­baik Pakistan (TLP) held its scheduled ‘Tajdar-i-Khatm-i-Nabu­wwat conference’ at Lab-i-Mehran here on Friday evening amid fear and panic among people over its warning to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) against taking out an election rally that was supposed to pass by.

TLP leader Pir Mohammad Ali Jaan Mujaddedi told the media that his party had already obtained permission from the district administration for the conference, which was going to be addressed, among other ulema, by TLP chief Allama Saad Rizvi. He pointed out that a large number of people from across the country were attending the conference.

He apprehended that PPP’s political activity very close to the venue of the religious event might cause tension and provoke disturbances. He urged the local PPP leaders to change the course of their rally to avoid any untoward incident. The TLP also requested the district administration to ask PPP not to bring its supporters close to the venue of the conference.

However, PPP leader and former Sukkur mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh, who was to lead the rally, ignored TLP’s warning. The PPP rally set off from Sukkur House which heightened the tension. After marching through main thoroughfares, the participants raising political slogans, assembled in the Dolphin area, where Mr Shaikh and PPP candidates of local government seats spoke to them. The rally concluded peacefully.

In the meantime, TLP supporters held a demonstration paces away from the route of the PPP rally.

Speaking to the protesters, TLP leader Mir Mohammad Ali strongly criticised PPP leadership for risking disturbances in Sukkur by refusing to change the route of the rally.

He also condemned an unprecedented hike in the prices of petroleum products and tariffs of electricity and gas. He said those who had recently been holding ‘long marches’ against inflation and price hike, were increasing financial burden on the poor lot now after coming to power. “They are visiting different countries to seek aid but in vain,” he observed.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2022