LARKANA/SUKKUR, Feb 14: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Mian Nawaz Sharif criticised the Pakistan People’s Party-led government for its failure on various counts and pledged to bring about a positive change in the life of the people of Sindh if his party was voted to power in the upcoming elections.

Addressing a public meeting in Naudero’s stadium on Thursday, he pointed towards the emotionally charged crowd and termed it a kind of inspiration that would “lead us to change”.

“It will be a change for prosperity, change for lights in their houses, change of uprooting dacoits, and change for peace in Karachi,” he said.

Now the nation had learnt to differentiate between thieves and those who served them, he said. He said many governments had come and gone, but no change was seen in Sindh where the people had repeatedly voted the PPP to power. He told the youth that jobs meant for them had been sold by the PPP. He said no injustice would be done to meritorious people if the PML-N returned to power and ‘the dacoit raj’ would be eliminated.

He said the PML-N would bring about peace in Balochistan and Karachi and end the menace of extortion in Karachi.

He said the PML-N when in power had washed out dacoits from Sindh.

He said there were two kinds of robbers — those in the government and the private ones. He said if the PML-N returned to power in the upcoming elections, it would link Larkana and Naudero through a motorway, establish industry, colleges, hospitals and ensure jobs for all. He said the PML-N had served the nation and the country, and added that “we are not tainted with corruption”.

He said the people were looking for jobs, seeds and fertilisers in Sindh, which were kept in the house of President Zardari. Had he (Zardari) served the people, today he (Nawaz Sharif) would have been standing by him, he said. “We are determined to make Pakistan a prosperous country,” he said, asking the people to support him. He added that soon he would again visit the area, apparently as part of his election campaign.

He deplored that the PPP had failed to arrest Benazir Bhutto’s killers. He alleged that the PPP was deceiving the nation and thus harming the country, but the PML-N would not do that. He said Sindh had awakened now and would not vote for cheats. “Our links would be based on love preached by Shah Latif Bhitai and ingrained in the culture of Sindh,” he said. “We are here to help bring about peace and happiness for all.”

Addressing the pubic meeting, Mumtaz Bhutto alleged that Asif Ali Zardari had illegally occupied the Naudero House, which was a property of the Bhuttos.

Mr Zardari had shown to the public a fake ‘will’ of Benazir Bhutto, he said. There were two options then before the PPP: to track down the killers of Benazir Bhutto or to participate in the election by forgetting about her murder. They opted for the second choice.

He said Rs40 billion had been siphoned off in the name of development in Larkana, which was plagued by insanitation, battered roads and insecure life.

Calling the public meeting a referendum against the PPP’s flawed policies, Syed Ghous Ali Shah recalled the elimination of what he said the dacoit raj, distribution of land among landless peasants in Sindh by the Nawaz Sharif government. He said Nawaz Sharif opposed division of Sindh and the Sindh People’s Local Government Act-2012.

Sardar Kehar joins PML-N Earlier speaking at a reception organised by Sardar Rizwan Kehar in Larkana city, Mr Sharif criticised the government for “crippling the country’s economy”.

He regretted that the dollar had got a boost whereas the rupee had fallen in value. He said if the government had made serious efforts, electricity load-shedding would have been reduced to half.

He welcomed Sardar Rizwan Kehar for coming into the PML-N fold. Sardar Kehar had earlier announced joining the PML-N.

Talking to a private news channel at the Larkana residence of Mumtaz Bhutto, Mr Sharif said he was satisfied with the constitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan where the chief election commissioner was installed with the consensus of all political parties. Disagreeing on the composition of the ECP after giving it a go-ahead was not a good trend. He said those political parties were opposing the ECP who foresaw their defeat in the ensuing elections.

Replying to a question, he said soon the people would hear good news regarding alliances in Sindh. He, however, ruled out the possibility of an alliance with Muttahida Qaumi Movement in Karachi.

Later, the PML-N chief said that although both the PPP and the MQM were jointly in power in the centre and Sindh, the law and order situation was worsening in Karachi and could be improved within a few days if the administration desired so.

He observed this while talking to the media at Sukkur airport on his return from Rato Dero. He said nobody was happy with the situation in Karachi as people were facing targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom. He asked if a husband and a son were killed in front of a woman, was or not its responsibility lay on the government.

He said it was of little concern for the people whether the government had in-camera sessions or open ones as the people wanted concrete steps to curb violence.

Asked how the law and order situation could be controlled in Karachi, Mian Nawaz Sharif said the police should be equipped with latest weapons, its personnel should be well-experienced and free from political influence.