SANGHAR: Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi-III, popularly known as Pir Pagara (VIII), made his long-awaited appearance before thousands of his disciples and members of the Hur Jamaat who packed the open space outside Garang Bun­galow, some five kilometres from here, on Monday.

Speaking to them, the spiritual leader, who also heads the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), told his disciples to donate generously to the fund established by the Supreme Court for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

Pir Pagara is on a three-day spiritual-cum-political tour that would also take him to Umerkot and some other areas. Thousands of his disciples started pouring in from all parts of the province to have a glimpse of their spiritual leader as soon as they received news about Pir Pagara’s appearance before them on Monday. Most of them waited for many hours outside the bungalow.

Pir Pagara told them that the country had been facing an acute shortage of water for long and in the coming four to five years, the situation might deteriorate. He said everyone should contribute to the national cause by making donation towards the SC fund for dams.

Thousands turn up to have a glimpse of Pir Pagara

He noted that corrupt elements had made properties abroad by plundering the national exchequer. Now, he added, people must come forward to stop the plunder and protect the state from getting further burdened under debts. He was of the view that politicians in this country were not as corrupt as officials were.

Referring to the unfair distribution of irrigation water in Sindh, Pir Pagara claimed that growers, peasants and farmers were getting a scant supply for their lands while the lands of [PPP co-chairman Asif Ali] Zardari were getting plenty of water.

He noted that inflation in the country had gone 10 times higher over the last decade due to [legal and illegal] transfer of money abroad. Holding the successive governments responsible for the situation, he said they [GDA leadership] were here in the contest to rid the nation of unscrupulous rulers.

He commended services and sacrifices of the armed forces for the defence of the country and exhorted the grand congregation to stay loyal to the state.

The GDA has planned a joint power show with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in Umerkot on Tuesday (today), adds Our Corres­pon­dent A.B. Arisar.

Pir Pagara, PTI vice president Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi (who is also the spiritual leader of the Ghausia Jamaat) and other GDA leaders, including its secretary general Ayaz Latif Palijo, former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and Kishan Chand Parwani would speak at the public meeting, according to local leaders of the alliance.

Wali Mohammad Mahar, a member of the organising committee, said that 5,000 youths, 1,000 retired members of the Hur force and 2,000 women Hur Jamaat members would assist the area police in providing security to the leaders and other participants of the public meeting.

“A 200’x300’ stage has been prepared for the show to be held on a 200-acre piece of land, having a capacity of around 200,000 people, in Umerkot,” he said, adding that food for such a large number of people had been arranged.

Commenting on the planned public meeting, a local PPP leader, Burhan Kumbhar, said it would be a gathering of disciples rather than a political event.

Disciples and followers of the Hur Jamaat and Ghausia Jamaat would attend the gathering to have glimpses of their leaders, Pir Pagara and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he said.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2018