KARACHI, Sept 9: The Pakistan People’s Party on Friday termed the nationwide strike ‘a success’, and called for a government of national consensus which could not only hold national and provincial elections, but also help establish a truly democratic government.

PPP Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, addressing a news conference along with the provincial secretary general Nafees Siddiqui and other leaders, said that the people of Sindh had emphatically rejected government policies by observing a peaceful strike “despite threats of dire consequences by the government.”

He described the strike as a referendum against the massive rigging by the government in the local body election, destructive economic policies and the government’s move to mortgage national sovereignty for helping an individual to prolong his tyrannical rule.

Mr Shah also deplored the two cracker blasts that took place on Thursday night outside two fast food outlets in Clifton and attributed them to the government, saying that they were aimed at maligning the opposition parties.

He said that absence of violence during the strike was a proof of opposition’s peaceful intent.

He was of the view that perhaps the foreign franchise targets were selected by terrorists to send a message to the West that the opposition was behind attacks on their interests.

The PPP leaders said that it was a dangerous ploy on the part of the government operatives.

Nafees Siddiqui told journalists that the people had emphatically rejected the government’s policies, which had rendered more people jobless. He termed the government’s claim to the contrary ‘a pack of lies’.