HYDERABAD, Aug 28: Awami Tehrik (AT) president Ayaz Latif Palijo has called for formation of a caretaker government for holding the general election.

Speaking at a press conference at Palijo House on Tuesday, he also called for de-weaponisation of Karachi and arrest of the attackers of Mohabbat-i-Sindh rally in Karachi on May 22.

He said the government should eradicate corruption, improve the law and order situation and take steps for tackling water shortage. Victims of the last rains and floods should be rehabilitated and given land, Mr Palijo added.

He urged the government to ban militant outfits and terrorist organisations and to induct two million unemployed youths of Sindh into government organisations.

“The AT will organise another Mohabbat-i-Sindh rally on Wednesday (Aug 29) in Umerkot to highlight injustices being faced by the people of Sindh. Rallies will also take place staged in Digri, Naukot and Tando Jan Mohammad on Sept 1.

“On Sept 6, a Mohabbat-i-Sindh train march will set off from Karachi to Islamabad with a view to raising awareness across the country against political and economic oppression,” Latif Palijo said. “The government should not try to stop the march by force.”

He alleged that the Musharraf government had “handed over Karachi to the MQM” under the cover of promoting the local bodies system. “Preparations are again being made to empower the Muttahida by bringing the LG system back,” the Awami Tehrik chief alleged. “But the people of Sindh will resist this move of the PPP-led government.”

Latif Palijo criticised the administration for launching an operation in Lyari while ignoring other areas. Whenever a target killer was arrested in Karachi, he was released at the intervention of the federal interior minister, Mr Palijo alleged.

He said that on one hand, names of 1.3 million Sindhis had been deleted from the voter list while “names of 1.3 million Biharis, Bengalis and Burmese” had been registered. “This is a computerised conspiracy to convert Sindhis into a minority.”

He opposed the Zulfikarabad project, saying that “Sindhis will never tolerate such a conspirtacy”.