LARKANA: The Grand Democratic Alliance’s (GDA) general secretary Dr Safdar Abbasi has said the only solution to the current political, financial, administrative and constitutional crises is immediate dissolution of all assemblies and holding of general elections in one go in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Mr Abbasi, who is former political secretary to slain chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party Benazir Bhutto, told Dawn on Tuesday that in addition to the multiple crises the country faced ‘crisis of leadership’ in political parties.

He asked that could anyone be in a position to meet basic needs of life amid such serious economic conditions, which the nation had to contend with every day.

He said that Pakistan Peoples Party which claimed to be architect of the 1973’s constitution was itself violating the constitution, which was very clear on holding elections within 90 days of dissolution of assemblies.

He questioned why the ruling parties were fleeing from the constitution and deviating from its clear provisions. It would lead to anarchy and “when we escape from constitution it will definitely invite dictatorship to occupy power”.

He called Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a controversial body and said its role was self-evident. Even then it was decided to hold general election the same ECP would have to be entrusted with task, he said.

He criticised the ECP’s role in local bodies’ election in Sindh and the commission had facilitated imposition of one party dictatorship in the province.

He cited examples of Ali Gohar Mahar’s clean sweep and his popularity in Ghotki, and what happened to GDA’s elected MPA Moazzim Abbasi as cases in point and said with one stroke of pen six pairs of candidates were disqualified in local bodies’ election in Larkana in which money talked and returning officers acted suspiciously, he said, adding the ECP also failed to play its role.

He claimed that PPP came to power in Sindh through a compromise in 2018 general election when Imran Khan was allowed to form government in the centre.

Mr Abbasi pointed out massive corruption on the basis of recent Auditor General report on floods and said Rs25 billion were siphoned off from the funds allocated for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood victims.

He said the PPP government had miserably failed to rein in tribal clashes that had disrupted peace in the province.

He condemned brutal murder of IBA’s Prof Ajmal Sawand who was a Ph.D in Artificial Intelligence from France.

He said in answer to a question that PPP had kept the option of ‘dialogue’ open amid prevailing political turmoil and said it was commendable but he was unhappy over attempts to pit parliament against judiciary. One day this would lead to anarchy and chaos, he feared.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023