HYDERABAD: Sindh United Party (SUP) president Syed Zain Shah on Monday accused Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of bargaining away Sindh’s rights in order to get his son, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, elected as prime minister.

Mr Shah was speaking at a press conference at his residence here on Monday.

He alleged that it was PPP’s agenda to divide Sindh. He rejected the formation of a parliamentary party on new administrative units in the province. He said that SUP would never accept this anti-Sindh move by the PPP, PML-N and MQM-P. He said that SUP and its allies would certainly resist the attempt.

He said that it would be advisable in the larger interest of the country not discuss new administrative units lest some major tragedy occurs. He said that PPP had always played the drama of provincial autonomy in the name of 18th Constitutional Amendment. He said that the PPP had betrayed Sindh by adopting a resolution in the Sindh Assembly to hand over executive authority and powers on natural resources to the federal government under Articles 144 and 147. He said it was more dangerous than the 2012 dual local government system.

Claims PPP’s agenda is to divide the province

Through this resolution, the PPP had surrendered provincial autonomy to the federal government, he added. The SUP leader alleged that by appointing favourites as district returning officers (DROs), a conspiracy was afoot to commit pre-poll rigging in the second phase of LG polls.

He noted that floodwaters had not been drained out yet from several districts. Practical steps were not taken for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people which was disgusting, he deplored.

He announced that the birth anniversary of veteran nationalist leader G.M. Syed would be celebrated in Sann in a befitting manner. The programme would be attended by several politicians, he added.

Zain Shah said that he considered the PPP as a dishonest and anti-Sindh party. “This anti-Sindh Zardari mafia needs to be uprooted in view of its 15-year track record of corruption,” he remarked.

Roshan Ali Buriro, Jagdesh Ahuja, Amir Azad Panhwar, Ameer Thebo, Khawaja Naveed and others were also present.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2022