HYDERABAD, Sept 7: The Awami Tehrik (AT) has announced to boycott the ensuing general election but offered a support to those candidates who pledged to fight against the construction of the greater Thal canal and other anti-Sindh projects if elected.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the general council of the party held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Rasool Bux Palijo.

Briefing newsmen, Palejo said the general council of the party at its regular meeting, held on the sixth of every month, discussed the burning issues confronting the country, especially Sindh, including water shortage, NFC award and the election.

He said the Awami Tehrik would boycott the election as it was of the considered opinion the election was a mere fraud and the elected assemblies could not resolve the problems of the people as the country had been converted into an American colony and a military state.

He said the country was in the grip of institutionalized terrorism where the resources of Sindh were being looted by the “Qabza group”.

He said the Awami Tehrik would support those candidates who gave a pledge to the party they would fight for the rights of Sindh and against the usurpation of its resources.

Palejo, who is also the president of Sindh Water Committee, accused Punjab and Wapda chairman of stealing Sindh’s water.

He lashed out at the Wapda chairman for his remarks that 20,000 cusecs of water was flowing down Kotri Barrage and Sindh was wasting water.

He said it was for the first time in five years that some water had been released down the Kotri Barrage.

He said the Wapda chairman had also criticized the distribution system of water and asked as to who was responsible for this.

About the NFC award, Palejo said it was based on mala fide intention and claimed the meeting scheduled for Sept 15 at Peshawar to announce the NFC award would transfer resources of Sindh to Punjab as had been done during the last 30 years.

He said three provinces had been demanding over the years that the NFC award should not be based on population alone but the revenue generated by the provinces, the size of the federating units and their backwardness should also be taken into consideration but their demands had been rejected.

He said the irony was that the NFC award was being based on 1981 population census and not on 1998 census.

The Awami Tehrik leader said even the octroi duty which was the property of the provinces and the districts had been manipulated and given to Punjab.

He said the octroi duty which was abolished and replaced with GST was also being inequitably distributed.

He said Rs80 billion were spent on motorway but the government was unwilling to convert the National Highway in Sindh into a double track.

Palejo said the GST on services such as telephone and electricity which was the property of the provinces would also be distributed by the federal government on the basis of population.