PPP holds protests against ‘rigging’: Woman MPA, 269 others booked
THATTA, Feb 14: Activists of People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and its sister organisations staged rallies, demonstrations and token hunger strikes across the province on Wednesday against alleged rigging in the by-elections in Karachi and Dadu and attacks on party leaders on the polls day.
Party activists staged a peace march in Gharo town. The marchers gathered on the National Highway where they staged a sit-in in protest against chief minister’s use of derogatory and abusive language against PPP leaders Naheed Khan, Sassui Palijo and Makhdoom Amin Fahim and fictitious cases against Ghulam Qadir Palijo, said Luqman Malkani, local party leader.
Gharo Police later booked MPA Sassui Palijo, Abdul Sattar Lohar and 268 other party activists on charges of blocking the highway, creating public nuisance, obstructing police in performing duties and creating law and order situation.
Gharo TPO Gul Abbas said that party activists staged a procession in the town and gathered on the highway where they staged a sit-in and used libellous language against the chief minister. The blockade resulted in suspension of traffic for over three hours and caused great inconvenience to commuters, he added.
A party activist Mumtaz Jokhio told journalists on phone that 20 leaders and activists including Sassui Palijo, her father Ghulam Qadir Palijo, Syed Iqbal Shah, Abdul Sattar Lohar, an Awam Dost councillor Ms Shahnaz Jokhio and 20 other party men and women were on the FIR besides 250 other activists included as unidentified.
TANDO MOHAMMAD KHAN: Activists staged a demonstration and a sit-in on the Phulelli Road and vowed that they would continue their protest against the chief minister.
PPP city president Mashooq Ali Bhatti, general secretary Ali Nawaz Bhutto, SPSF leader Allah Bux Bhatti and Sindh People’s Youth (SPY) leader Gulzar Bhatti said that the chief minister’s use of inappropriate language against the chairperson and other women leaders was a bid to please Gen Musharraf.
KHAIRPUR: A large number of lawyers of Peoples Lawyers Forum (PLF) staged a procession and a demonstration on the Court Road.
PLF President Liaquat Ali Shar, Sajjad Kolachi and Bachal Shah slammed attack on Qaim Ali Shah and Dr Azra Pechuho on the by-elections day. The use of insulting language against women ran counter to the culture and traditions of Sindh, they said.
DADU: Activists of SPY staged demonstrations and observed token hunger strikes in Khairpur Nathan Shah and Dadu and made an appeal to the chief election commissioner to take notice of rigging and attacks on MNAs, MPAs and party workers.
NAWABSHAH: Activist of SPY staged a demonstration on the Sakrand Road against attack on party leaders and workers and warned the chief minister against using abusive language against the women party leaders
SPY leaders Saalim Zardari, Kashif Ali Noorani, Sarwar Khaskheli and Mouladad Gaho charged that state machinery was used in by-elections in Karachi and Kotri.
MIRPURKHAS: Activists of SPY observed a token hunger strike at the Post Office Chowk bringing traffic to a halt for a few hours. SPY leaders Tharo Khan Panhwar, Hanif Memon, Abdul Razzaq Khaskheli, Abdul Razzaq Sonara and others participated in the token hunger strike.
JACOBABAD: Activists of SPY staged a rally which marched on different roads of the city before staging a sit-in at the DCO Chowk.
Similar protests were held in Larkana and other cities and towns of Sindh.