KARACHI, March 11: The Pakistan People’s Party, Karachi division, on Friday deplored privatization of national assts at throw-away prices, and called for a halt to the process. It also described the launching of a shuttle train in the name of the revival of Karachi Circular Railway, as ‘farce’ and ‘an attempt to hoodwink people’.

Resolutions in this regard were adopted at a meeting of the PPP’s local chapter under the chairmanship of Rashid Rabbani.

Criticizing the privatization of the KESC and PTCL, the meeting demanded that the process of denationalizing Port Qasim, KPT and other such national assets at nominal prices be stopped immediately and this policy be reversed.

Through one of the resolutions, the meeting deplored the government’s pretension of reviving the KCR by introducing a local train on the main line between the City Station and Landhi. Terming the launching of the service a move to befool people of Karachi, it demanded that the KCR be revived in its totality for the convenience of the common man. The meeting also expressed its concern over price-hike and law and order situation, as well as the corruption that was indicated amid the row between Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and his sacked revenue minister Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh.

The meeting also discussed arrangements for the observance of the 26th death anniversary of the party’s founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.