MITHI, Oct 5: Two separate rallies, one in favour and the other against the Sindh People’s Local Government Act, 2012, were taken out at the same venue in the town on Friday.

The first rally was organised by the Pakistan People’s Party at Kashmir Chowk and was attended by local and district leaders, activists and supporters of the party.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans ‘SPLGO is beneficial for Sindh’, the participants raised slogans for the new LG law and against the nationalist parties opposing the proposed local government system.

Speaking at the rally, PPP leaders criticised opponents of the system saying that they were misguiding the people of Sindh by terming the law against the integrity and interests of the province.

They expressed their faith in the policies of President Asif Ali Zardari.

As soon as the rally dispersed, activists and supporters of Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, Awami Tehrik, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other parties took out a rally held a meeting at the same venue. Local leaders from the organising parties severely criticised PPP for ‘betraying’ its electorate by getting the SPLGO passed from the provincial assembly “at the behest of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’.

They insisted the SPLGO was passed into law under a conspiracy to divide Sindh. They vowed to continue their protests until the controversial law was repealed.—BoC