LARKANA, Oct 31: The Sindh leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has severely criticised the government for implicating Amir Bukhsh Bhutto and other leaders of the party “in false cases”.
Sindh PML-N president Syed Ghous Ali Shah, speaking to the media at the Larkana sessions court on Wednesday, warned thegovernment to refrain from what he described as further political victimisation of its opponents.
“The ruling coalition should go to the extent that they could afford,” he said while cautioning the government of unpleasant implications of such actions.
“The recent registration of cases against Mr Bhutto and others is obviously a politically motivated move,” he said, and claimed that the ruling coalition was badly disturbed by the PML-N’s increasing popularity in Sindh after Mumtaz Ali Bhutto and Liaquat Ali Jatoi also joined the party.
“We are here to face the cases which are being politicised… we trust the courts, which were delivering justice,” he said. Mr Shah alleged that the murder of Asadullah Bhutto, the PML-N youth wing vice president in Larkana division, was also part of the ongoing political victimization of the party. Eliminating political opponents this way was absolutely uncalled-for, he added and asked the government to stop such tactics. He declared that his party would move ahead despite all odds to ensure a truly democratic rule in the country.
The PML-N leader claimed that after Mumtaz Bhutto and Liaquat Jatoi, many prominent PPP figures had come in touch with the PML-N leadership and soon they would join it. Disclosing their names at this ‘premature stage’ could prompt the PPP leadership to resort to exerting pressure on them, he added.
In reply to a question, he said PML-N accepted the Supreme Court verdict in the Asghar Khan case and in the same breath added that “we have witnessed the fate of a prime minister who had not bowed before the apex court”.
Responding to a question about nationalists, he brushed aside the allegation that they were receiving money from Punjab for opposing the Sindh People’s Local Government Act (SPLGA), 2012. He said the law was great injustice being done to Sindh.
Mr Shah said that while the other three provinces had a local government system acceptable to their people, Sindh was being forced to accept one that provided for a rural-urban divide.
“This is a conspiracy to pit them against each other,” he remarked.
Mumtaz Bhutto, commenting on the cases registered against his son, Amir Bukhsh Bhutto, said he believed that MNA Faryal Talpur and the Khuhros were behind the whole affair. He said the Khuhros were being used against the Bhuttos on the instigation of Ms Talpur.
“Initially, former Larkana DIG Dr Sain Rakhio Mirani had declined to register our case despite a court’s order,” he said, adding that all this was being done under a conspiracy against the Bhuttos. He alleged that the Zardaris had grabbed Bhuttos’ properties “and we are here to get them back”.
Mr Bhutto said that the land issue had been settled 40 years back.
He also held President Asif Ali Zardari responsible for the murder of three Bhuttos — Benazir Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Nusrat Bhutto.
Meanwhile, PML-N leaders and activists visited the Chandka Medical College Hospital and inquired about the health of the injured worker, Babar Solangi.
They also went to Bhuttan-ji-Wandh to condole the death of Asadullah Bhutto with the bereaved family.