KARACHI: Although contesting elections in Pakistan for provincial or national assembly seats require millions of rupees, the entrance of middle-class principal of a private college in politics has become what the political analysts believe is a ‘bitter pill’ for the influential feudal and political families in Larkana.
Liaquat Ali Mirani, who is commonly known as Ustad (master), has been working as principal of Bahria Foundation College in Ranipur. He filed his nomination papers to contest the upcoming general elections for PS-13 (Dokri-Badeh) against the decades-old feudal and most powerful politicians despite lacking the wealth to run the luxurious election campaign.
Mirani has vast experience in the education sector with his earlier jobs as principal of Army Public School in Dadu and as vice principal at Army Public School in Pano Aqil, district Ghotki.
Having no grudge against any political party (except those corrupt individuals), Mirani only wishes that well-educated and honest candidates from any political party should be voted to power who could serve the poor people of the province, ensure quality education, provide healthcare facilities, local government system can fight against Patwari culture and etc.
Usually, the constituency for provincial assembly PS-13 Dokri-Badeh remained within the lap of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) since past couple of years and party’s nominated Aziz Jatoi used to get elected from the said constituency.
However, this time, PPP has sidelined Mr Jatoi and awarded party ticket to Hizbullah Bughio compelling Aziz Jatoi to part ways and announced that he would contest upcoming elections as an independent candidate. While, the opposition alliance – Grand Democratic Alliance – has awarded party ticket to Aadil Altaf Unnar, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to Shafqat Unnar on the same constituency.
While campaigning even on bicycle and donkey-cart, Liaquat Ali Mirani has mobilized students, writers, educated youth and the oppressed masses against the feudal lords since acceptance of his nomination papers for the constituency.
“The consistent poor governance, massive corruption worth billions of rupees, vanishing of province’s resources etc will ultimately result in providing a chance to middle class leaders to get elected against the corrupt mafias who have ruled the province since past ten years”, Mirani told Pakistan Today by phone from his Dokri, town of district Larkana.
“I have no funds to run lavish type of election campaigns like they (feudal) run. I have a motorcycle that requires Rs 100 petrol for my campaign while my friend Mr Jhatial has gifted me a megaphone worth Rs 2200 from Karachi”, Mirani added.
The politicians have ruined our system that included education, health, road infrastructure, electricity etc, he said, adding that he was using lower level tactics to ‘further mobilise’ (development of mind) of people of the constituency.
“The common people have been scared of feudal lords however the fear among the masses have been reduced remarkably as people have started questioning the influential leaders about their past performances”, Mirani went on to say.
“I really wish that people like Ayaz Latif Palijo, Dr Qadir Magsi, Abbasi family of district Larkana, Mirza family of Badin, Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Syed Zain Shah, and all other well-educated candidates be voted to power so that the basic issues of the people could be resolved without any delay”, he concluded.
