KARACHI – The PPP Karachi Division’s public meeting to mark the Kashmir Day on Saturday went awry when the party’s jiyalas started protesting police excesses and sale of government jobs. The hall of the Arts Council of Pakistan – where the programme was organised – echoed with slogans by PPP activists belonging to different party wings during Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s speech.
Holding placards, the People’s Students Federation activists started protesting the Aram Bagh police excessiveness while the activists of the PPP’s other wings including the Minority Wing complained that government jobs were being sold. The angry party workers continued their protest, compelling the organisers and PPP leaders including the chief minister’s protocol staff to request the protesting workers to stop chanting slogans and let Shah complete his speech.
The programme had started with traditional zeal and continued peacefully until the chief minister arrived on stage. It ended in an uproar as the protest disturbed his speech and forced him to announce an inquiry into their complaints. The activists accused the PPP ministers and leaders of trading government jobs and ignoring its workers, who have made sacrifices for the party.
Earlier, during his speech, Shah said that the PPP would continue its support to the cause of Kashmiris until the acceptance of their right to self-determination. PPP Provincial General Secretary Taj Haider said dictatorial rules in the country have damaged the Kashmiri struggle. APHC’s Tahir Masood Khan, JUI-F’s Qari Sher Afzal, PPP’s Najmi Alam also spoke.
