LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s rule is about the same as a civilian dictatorship and a continuation of Gen Zia and Gen Musharraf’s autocracy.

Mr Khuhro said in his address to the participants in a sit-in staged to observe July 5 as black day outside Jinnahbagh’s gate on Friday that Gen Zia had toppled Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s elected government on this day and now the PTI was bent on uprooting democracy and hatching conspiracies to obfuscate the Constitution, provincial autonomy and 18th Amendment.

He said that a man who had endorsed a dictator’s referendum and Article 58(2)B in the past could never be sincere with democracy. The PTI and its prime minister believed in “controlled democracy” and “controlled parliament”, he said.

Activists of PPP and its sister organisations held similar gatherings in several parts of the province to observe July 5 as black day.

SUKKUR: PPP Jacobabad chapter organised a meeting to observe the day as black day where local leaders said that Gen Zia toppled democratic government of Z.A. Bhutto on this day, sent him to jail and later had him hanged in a disputed murder case.

They said that dictators like Gen Zia and Gen Musharraf had done great harm to democracy. The party once again was facing difficult time as a ‘selected’ prime minister was busy conspiring against its top leadership, they said.

MITHI: PPP Mithi chapter leaders said at a public gathering organised to observe black day that the conditions for the party leadership as well as committed workers had not changed and the party was still fighting for democratic values.

PPP Senator Gayanchand, MPA Faqeer Sher Mohammad Bilalani and others addressed the gathering.

BADIN: Leaders of PPP Badin chapter said at a programme held to mark the black day that Z.A. Bhutto had given voice to the voiceless and sacrificed his life for democracy. PPP lawyers’ forum also observed the black day and highlighted the struggle of Z.A. Bhutto for democracy.

Sindh Minister for Agriculture Mohammad Ismail Rahu, MNA Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, MPA Taj Mohammad Mallah and others said in press statements that PPP chairman was struggling to defend democratic rights of people.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2019