DADU, Oct 7: The deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, has said that the government has failed to provide basic facilities to the people of Thar, Kohistan and other areas of the interior of Sindh since 1947.

Many people have been suffering from tuberculosis and other deadly diseases due to the use of unhygienic water in Thar, he said, speaking to intellectuals, writers, workers of various parties and local journalist here on Sunday.

At present, as the country was facing difficulties, “we should support the government in the greater interest of the country and the people”, he said and added that only two per cent elite had been ruling the country, while 98 population had been neglected throughout the history of the country.

Mr Shaikh alleged that the army had been supporting feudal lords on various occasions in different ways since 1947.

He said MQM leaders had been raising their voice for the NFC award, development funds for Sindh and over water shortage and unemployment issues. He added that about two to three million Afghans, Beharis, Burmis and Iranians had been settled only in Karachi.

He regretted that all resources, including gas and petrol, were available in various parts of the province, but the people of Punjab and other provinces had been employed in those areas to tap the resources.

The MQM leader alleged that on the directives of some agencies, many industries had been shifted from Nooriabad to the various parts of Punjab and a great number of people had been rendered unemployed.

About sectarian terrorism, he said “people belonging to two sects” had been killed by the agencies so that foreign and local businessmen might shift their businesses to other parts of the country.

Mr Shaikh said when MQM chief Altaf Hussain had started his telephonic address in Dadu, some 20 to 25 telephone connections of district had been disconnected by the agencies.

He also alleged that officials of law-enforcement agencies had waned the workers of the MQM and other parties and citizens not to attend the telephonic address of Mr Hussain at Dadu.

He said that due to the disruption in the communication system, the MQM chief could not address intellectuals, writers, leaders of various political parties and local journalists.