KARACHI, Jan 29: Sindh National Front chairman Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto on Monday said he would attend the multi-party conference convened by Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif in London.

However, in reply to Mr Sharif’s Dec 19, 2006, letter, the SNF chief said the MPC agenda should include working out a formula for and quantum of devolution of powers to the provinces.

In his letter to Mr Sharif, Mr Bhutto said the conference should discuss the issue of provincial autonomy. He said provincial autonomy had been guaranteed in the 1940 Pakistan Resolution, but the provinces had never been given this right which had made the country unstable and led to its dismemberment in 1971. He also criticised military dictatorships for the current situation in the country. Gen Ziaul Haq had weakened every institution in the country, resulting in rampant corruption. Gen Pervez Musharraf continued this process and was following the US dictates to perpetuate his rule, he alleged.

He regretted that Pakistani troops were being used against own citizens in the NWFP and Balochistan. The result was that Fata had been lost to the Taliban and a grand Baloch jirga, convened by the Khan of Kalat in Quetta on Sept 21 and Oct 2, 2006, had declared that Balochistan was not, and had never been, a part of Pakistan, he claimed.

About Sindh, he said protest demonstrations were held every day on different issues, including lawlessness, corruption, poverty, unemployment, price hike and breakdown of services.—PPI