- Sources say complete shutter-down to be observed in Sindh in first phase and countrywide protest call to be given if Rangers don’t stop arrests
- PPP Co-Chairman Zardari, who was scheduled to meet Bilawal in Lahore next week for LG polls, is likely not to return to Pakistan for a month
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), in consultation with its leaders, has decided to launch a province-wide protest campaign against the arrest of Sindh High Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Asim Hussain, Pakistan Today has learnt.
In a consultative meeting, it has been decided that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari – who according to some media reports was scheduled to join PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Lahore next week for preparing local government election strategy – would not return to Pakistan for at least a month.
Sources privy to the development said that PPP has mobilised its constitutional experts to block Rangers action against the party leaders. “They [constitutional experts] were tasked to devise a strategy for blocking Rangers action against PPP,” sources reiterated.
Speaking of the protests, sources said that in the first phase, a complete shutter-down would be observed in Sindh, and if Rangers continue to raid and arrest party leaders, a call for country-wide protest could also be given.
“We will do the same as we did after the Supreme Court (SC) declared appointment of Deedar Hussain Shah as National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman null and void,” PPP Sindh Secretary General Senator Taj Haider told Pakistan Today.
Terming arrest of Dr Asim Hussain as an attack on Sindh, Haider said that PPP supported Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) staged sit-in in the capital to topple Nawaz Sharif’s government.
“PML-N is again trying to make baseless political cases against PPP as it did in the past. I want to tell Prime Minister Sharif that we are against anarchy and want to make the federation stronger but if the situation remains unchanged, there would be anarchy in the country,” Haider warned.
Responding to a question, Haider said that he had no idea if party’s co-chairman will return to Pakistan. “He [Asif Zardari] may not return to Pakistan because of security reasons,” he added.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Coordination Committee member Ameenul Haq termed Rangers action against PPP as “consequences of action”.
“When Rangers conducted raid at MQM Headquarters Nine Zero then Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that the paramilitary force has launched operation against the terrorists,” he recalled.
“MQM leaders Amir Khan and Qamar Mansoor were brought to court as a ‘war criminals’ while PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain and Ayan Ali were produced before the court with the respect they deserve,” he noted.
Responding to a question, he said that he will not comment on Zardari and added that others should also think before commenting against MQM founder leader Altaf Hussain.
