DADU: Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, convener of Sindh Action Committee, on Saturday rejected allegations that nationalist parties’ protest before Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) was against the state, business community or residents of the housing society and said that Pakistan Peoples Party was openly supporting BTK’s actions by cracking down on protesters.

Shah, who is also chairman of the Sindh United Party, said at a press conference at his residence in Jamshoro town after presiding over a meeting of SAC, the nationalist parties’ alliance, that some parties were calling SAC leaders and their protest demonstration of June 6 anti-state and directed against people of Bahria Town, which was completely wrong.

He said that PPP, in blatant support of BTK, had started crackdown against activists of nationalist parties to stifle voice of Sindh against high-handedness of BTK administration.

Accompanied by Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi, Awami Tehreek chief Dr Rasool Bux Khaskheli, Jeay Sindh Mahaz chairman Riaz Chandio, Awami Jhamoori Party president Karam Ali Wassan, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz chairman Aslam Khairpuri and other nationalist leaders, Shah said that SAC had held a peaceful protest against BTK and condemned arrest of JSQM chairman Sanan Qureshi and activists of STP and SUP.

He said that cases had been registered against Gul Hassan Kalmati, Khaskheli and Murad Gabol, residents of old villages of Malir district, and announced that SAC leaders would hold a press conference at Karachi press club on June 14 where they would disclose facts of BTK incident. SAC leaders would jointly appear before antiterrorism court in Karachi on June 15, he said.

He said that a meeting would be held to review legal issues involving BTK and said public mobilisation campaign would be started from Gharo on June 20.

Our Hyderabad Staff Correspondent adds: Shah and other SAC leaders said that a meeting would be held on Sunday in Karachi to discuss legal options and cases registered against nationalist parties’ activists.

They said that people of Sindh were fully alive to protecting their resources and assets but PPP’s Sindh government was safeguarding interests of the housing society. Their protest was against Sindh government and BTK’s illegal occupation of old villages, but those who were calling their protest anti-state were in fact themselves involved in acts of arson and terrorism on June 6, they said.

They regretted the violence and damage to properties inside BTK on June 6 and held Sindh government and BTK administration responsible for it.

They thanked Pakistan Bar Council for its protest against registration of cases against SAC leaders and activists.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021