Seven parties of the left and nationalist leanings came out together on Saturday in a peaceful rally from Regal Chowk to Karachi Press Club against ethnic and linguistic targeted killings and spates of terrorism in the city.
The rally was led by leaders of Labour Party Sindh (LPS), Workers Party Pakistan (WPP), Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM), Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP), National Party and Watan Dost Inqilabi Party.
A large number of people from different walks of life including politicians, social activists, women, students, youth and workers took part in the protest walk.
The rally was addressed by Yusuf Mustikhan, Khalif Junejo, Nasir Mansoor, Ramzan Memon, Imdad Qazi Jan Muhammad Buledi and others.
Addressing the rally, the speakers were of the view that Karachi and millions of its citizens have been made hostage by armed groups, who want to divide workers by killing ordinary people on ethnic and linguistic lines.
“The working class through its unity has defeated the sinister designs of land, arm and drug mafias to occupy the city.”
The speakers also strongly condemned the interference of foreign diplomats and missions in internal affairs of Sindh and their open backing of ethnic and terrorist outfits.
Rejecting the Nazim and commissionerate systems, they termed them against national autonomy and people’s democratic aspirations. They demanded evolving a local body system which strengthens both autonomy and community needs.
The nationalist leaders also demanded the restoration of administrative limits of the pre-Musharraf Karachi.
All leaders strongly rejected the ‘federal capital’ status demand for Karachi, terming it an anti-Sindh demand to separate Karachi from Sindh again and reiterated resisting any move in the direction with full force.
The speakers appealed to all citizens to reject political parties that were promoting ethnic divisions among the working class and patronising terrorists and different creeds of mafias. They also demanded compensations for the victims of ethnic violence in Karachi.
