LARKANA: Signalling a tightening of ranks within the opposition, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has called for an end to the current political set-up, citing systemic failure and widespread public exhaustion with the status quo in Sindh.

Speaking at a press conference in Kot Dorab on Saturday evening, GDA Secretary General Dr Safdar Ali Abbasi, flanked by Syed Mohammad Rashid Shah (son of Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi) and former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi, announced that leaders from various opposition parties had convened to map out a definitive course of action for the province’s political future.

Dr Abbasi observed that political instability is intensifying across the country, suggesting that the influence of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership is in decline.

He emphasised that the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), under the leadership of Pir Pagaro, remains a cornerstone of the alliance. Notably, he pointed out that the GDA has remained a cohesive entity since its inception in 2017— a rare feat in a landscape often defined by shifting loyalties and fragmentation.

The secretary general levelled serious allegations regarding the integrity of the democratic process, citing “rigging” in 2018 and the “misuse of Form 47” in the 2024 general elections. He warned that the current administrative decay is tarnishing Pakistan’s international standing. Dr Abbasi urged the establishment and key stakeholders to move away from the existing system in favour of fresh, transparent elections to install a legitimate government capable of navigating the national crisis.

Syed Rashid Shah alleged that certain elected representatives are embroiled in criminal activities, including narcotics and extortion.

Liaquat Jatoi highlighted the plight of the agricultural sector, noting the acute shortage of water, the collapse of law and order, and the failure of farmers to secure fair prices for their crops. He warned that public frustration has reached a “boiling point”.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2026