On behalf of people of Sindh, I appeal to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to come forward and personally intervene in order to save his party from complete disaster in Sindh. This includes a period of almost 20 years pertaining to two former military dictators General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf who tried their hard to divide the party but in vain.
No doubt, PPP has played a vital role in promoting democracy in the country and also sacrificed the precious lives of its workers particularly during the historical MRD in Sindh. I myself had seen the list of innocent victims who were brutally killed in MIG air attacks in various towns of Sindh, exhibited on the notice board of Karachi Press Club.
Unfortunately for the party who had an excellent record of struggle against former military dictators in the past, its present rulers have now turned the table and they are now following the footprints of dictators themselves.
Recent example is of SPLGO-2012 presented in the Sindh Assembly where discussions on the controversial bill was even not allowed and opposing votes of more than one dozen were not counted by the Speaker Nisar Khuhro whose role was openly partial. Strangely, the bill was passed within five minutes.
Strangely, the PPP has invited amendments in the SPLG bill instead of allowing amendments in the old bill through democratic way. The controversial bill has extensively widened the gap between rural and urban divide in Sindh for which PPP’s present rulers, in connivance with an ethnic group of Karachi, are fully responsible.
Instead of admitting their blunders and trying to rectify the same, the present PPP rulers have made it question of their ego. Now they are planning, as per report of pro-govt Sindhi daily of Hyderabad, to ban the parties opposing the controversial bill whereas Law Minister Niaz A Naik is drafting the new bill. If it is implemented, it would be another setback for PPP as it would be unilateral action whereas PPP cannot even imagine banning a powerful ethnic group of Karachi reportedly indulged in target killings, extortion etc.
Mr Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s timely personal intervention would not only save PPP from ruination but also heal the injuries of people of Sindh. Mr Bilawal must remember if the people of Sindh once decide to vote another party against the PPP, they would never turn back and the PPP would never be in power.
MOHAMMAD KHAN SIAL
Karachi