- PSP leader says army operations alone cannot resolve problems facing country
- Space created by military operations needs to be filled through good governance
Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader and former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal said on Sunday that army operations alone cannot resolve the plethora of problems faced by the country, but they can create space for the government to practice good governance.
Kamal was addressing his party’s first ever public rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah on Sunday, which coincided with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s 20th Foundation Day rally in Islamabad, a fact may have forced Kamal to push back his speech, also scheduled for primetime, until Imran had finished speaking in Islamabad.
He said the space created by military operations needed to be filled through introduction of good governance which, he said, needs to have a positive impact on the lives of the people. If this is not done, he said, evil forces will once again fill the space.
THE PEOPLE PART OF DEMOCRACY:
“We do not believe in democracy, which only resides in the provincial and federal assemblies.”
He said that democracy should start at the grass-roots level and it should truly benefit the people.
“How can you expect patriotism if you cannot provide clean drinking water to the people” he said.
Kamal said that it is necessary to ensure that basic facilities are being provided to the people through union councils as it is not the duty of Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and Members of Provincial Assemblies (MPAs) to provide grass-roots level facilities to the people as they are there for legislation.
“Ministers spending public funds in the name of development schemes is against the law and constitution of Pakistan. They are using this tactic to steal public funds,” Kamal said.
He said that millions of rupees are mismanaged every year under the veil of developmental funds. He stated that door-to-door campaign will be launched in order to increase awareness in the people.
He said that the people of Pakistan should be given the power to make their choices.
“We want the people to be NAB [National Accountability Bureau], we want the union councils answerable to their neighbourhoods,” Kamal said.
He said that until local bodies are empowered in the country, progress cannot be made. “Even if you make 20 provinces, it will be of no use if the current system continues,” he added.
NO MORE RAW AGENTS:
Mustafa Kamal said that Karachi will be made more glorious than it was ever before. He said that the city will be home to intellectuals and patriots and there will be no division on the basis of language.
“We will make Karachi a city free of RAW agents,” he said, referring to allegations on his former party MQM’s supremo.
He said that corruption can be curtailed through steps chalked out by his party.
Towards the end of his public address, Kamal said he was grateful to all those who attended and those who helped in arranging the public address.
THE BIRTH OF PSP:
Mustafa Kamal said while addressing the rally that his party was breaking records as it was able to engage hundreds of thousands of people within 31 days of its formation.
He said that the world was witnessing for the first time that a political party in Pakistan was organising a rally where the party had no flag of its own but there were flags of Pakistan all around.
Kamal said that the foundation of his party was being laid on this historic day, which would be remembered for a long time.
Earlier in the day, PSP leader Anis Kaimkhani said the party expected at least half a million attendees at the rally. He added that the party would arrange similar public gatherings in Quetta, Peshawar and Lahore to ‘silence their critics’.
Tracks leading to Saddar’s parking plaza from PPP Chowrangi adjacent to the Quaid’s mausoleum and the 45 Congress Crossing had been closed for traffic, said a notification issued by the Deputy Inspector General Traffic, which said that MA Jinnah Road was open for traffic from Gurumandir to Tower.
Prior to the rally, the party held a concert and a family festival open to the public at a park near Mazar-e-Quaid on Saturday.