KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Sunday blamed Prime Minister Imran Khan for an alarming price hike, inflation and growing unemployment in the country, and said that masses were paying the price of his obsession with the opposition.

Speaking at a press conference here at the party’s Pakistan House headquarters, Mr Kamal equally criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led federal government and Pakistan Peoples Party’s government in Sindh for ignoring the growing problems of the people.

The event was held to announce joining of over 300 activists who quit their respective political parties to become part of Mr Kamal’s organisation. PSP president Anis Kaim Khani and others were also present.

He said that the PTI government had given the slogan of tabdeeli (change) to the people but it appeared that in its obsession with the opposition it had completely forgotten the real problems of the masses.

He said that the government had to fill certain important offices in consultation with the opposition, but it had created a constitutional crisis in the country. “The Imran-led federal government considers it forbidden to talk to the opposition for the resolution of the country’s issues, but seeking votes from the opposition in the Senate elections was not forbidden for it.”

He said that institutions had to “unwillingly” play a role in running the affairs of the state. “The stability of the country should be the most important thing for the opposition and the government. The common man is suffering because of the current crisis in the country.”

Mr Kamal lamented that the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement did not say a word on the issues of Karachi in its Oct 18 rally in the city.

“We have highlighted the problems and their solutions to restore the lost glory of Karachi. Karachi does not need alms but its due right. The city which earns Rs3,000 billion does not need any package,” he said.

He said that Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa took personal interest in the issues of Karachi and spent two nights here, but the situation did not change as yet.

The PSP chief urged the army chief to play his role in getting some fundamental issues fixed from the federal and provincial governments including transparent census of Karachi, resources and powers for local government, constitution of the provincial finance commission award and restoration of Karachi as one district whose administration was handed over to the elected mayor. “If he does so, everything will eventually be fine,” he said.

He urged the people to attend PSP’s Nov 8 rally in Bagh-i-Jinnah.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2020