HYDERABAD, April 26: Sindh Taraqi Passand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi has said that the STPP will take part in the next general elections. Speaking at a “point of view” programme of the Hyderabad press club on Wednesday, he said that the elections had never been held in a fair, impartial and transparent manner.

The programme was organised by the club in connection with its golden jubilee celebrations.

Quoting examples of General Zia’s and General Musharraf’s referendum, he said that the establishment had always made elections a point to achieve its own results.

He said that unless the sanctity of ballot was restored, it would be self-deception and wishful thinking to have any faith in the elections.

He agreed with a questioner that the nationalist parties have had no representation in the assemblies.

He said that the founder of Jeay Sindh Tehrik, G.M. Syed, had declared in unequivocal terms that parliamentary politics was “Haram” without achieving independence for Sindh.

He said that we have an agro-based society in Sindh rural and feudal forces hold sway over people.

He said that feudal lords had a strong network, money and their own organisation and the poor haris had to yield to force and vote for their masters.

He said that the nationalist parties had neither the economic power nor the muscle power to provide security to haris.

He conceded that the nationalist politics had failed in the past as it lacked sincerity of purpose, mutual trust and was based on personality cult.

He said that slave nations also become psychic and inclined to accept the status quo.

He said that instead of uniting on one platform, they remain divided under different leaders.

Dr Magsi quoted the example of Palestinian people and said that nine parties had united under the banner of the PLO but at present they were divided in different groups such as Islamic Jihad and Hamas.