HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians information secretary Maula Bux Chandio has strongly reacted to MQM-P chief Dr Farooq Sattar’s comparison of Urdu-speaking community with the ‘world’s most persecuted minority’ Rohingya Muslims, and said Dr Sattar should always be thankful to God for all the blessings bestowed on him.

Dr Sattar’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement had been in power for over four decades, said Mr Chandio while talking to journalists in Bhitai Nagar where some activists of PPP-Shaheed Bhutto announced joining PPP on Saturday evening.

He said that if the federal government could change a minister or a secretary, Sindh government could also do so. The Sindh High Court’s verdict on Sindh IGP’s case would be challenged in court, he said.

As per law, an IGP was answerable to chief executive of the province and home ministers and he was to obey orders of the provincial government, he said.

In an apparent reference to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and his party, he said the people who were rejoicing over verdict in Panama Papers case should remember that it would not make them look tall.

Panamagate was a product of Sharifs’ political sins and Mian Nawaz Sharif was himself to blame for the ruination of his own family because of his incurable arrogance, he said.

He said that pointing fingers at others could never lead one to real victory. History showed that the country had seen such premiers who did not even possess national identity cards but they failed to become leaders of the nation.

Theoretically speaking, he said, anyone could become a prime minister but it was difficult to become a leader of people and the country. For instance, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, who was launched against PPP, became a premier but he utterly failed to lead the nation, he said.

He said that conspiracies should not be hatched to secure power nor crutches of institutions be used and the institutions should not be defamed either. Everyone knew who had a deal with whom, so PPP should not be blamed for any ‘muk muka’, he said.

Mr Chandio said that he respected Imran Khan as a national hero and welcomed him to Sindh as a leader of a political party but he should remember that even Mr Sharif had felt after witnessing a few public meetings in Sindh as if he had conquered the province. Now Imran was doing the same with the help of defeated elements.

The PPP was not afraid of Imran’s public meetings because it believed it was people’s prerogative to take a decision about their destiny, he said.

Mr Chandio said that PPP had forewarned about census’s results and its fears were eventually proved right. If census statistics were not kept secret it would not have given rise to doubts in people’s minds, he said.

‘Dr Sattar should offer apology’

SUKKUR: Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said in reaction to MQM-P chief Dr Sattar’s remarks that he should take back his words and offer an apology.

The minister said at a public meeting in Bihar Colony on Saturday night that Dr Sattar’s comments proved that he had not yet shed the political views of his former leader Altaf Hussain.

About Imran Khan, he said that PTI chairman had always used lies and duplicity in politics. He was dreaming of becoming prime minister but his dreams would never come true, he said.

He said that his leader Asif Ali Zardari was acquitted by courts in all cases. Who would now be accountable for keeping him in jails for more than 10 years on the basis of fake cases, he asked.

MNA Noman Islam Shaikh, Sukkur Mayor Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh, district council chairman Mohammad Aslam Shaikh and others also spoke at the gathering.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2017