HYDERABAD, Feb 13: On the call of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, protest camps were set up at all district headquarters of interior Sindh on Friday against policies of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
A large number of People's Party Parliamentarians activists of district and city chapters set up a camp and observed a token hunger strike outside the press club. However, Pakistan Muslim League-N activists remained conspicuous by their absence.
The protesters raised slogans against Gen Musharraf and in favour of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. They demanded withdrawal of cases against Ms Bhutto. They also demanded the release of Asif Ali Zardari.
NAWABSHAH: MNA Dr Azra Pechuho has alleged that Gen Musharraf has rolled back the nuclear programme and handed over its control to the US.
Talking to journalists at a protest camp of the PPP outside the press club, she said Gen Musharraf had no right to decide the future of the nation on his own.
The MNA also blamed the president for a compromise on the Kashmir issue. About the Thal canal and the Kalabagh dam, she said army generals had their own interests in the projects. She called for accountability of the generals.
She said the increasing graph of poverty and the deteriorating law and order showed the inefficiency of the government. Praising nuclear scientists, Ms Pechuho said Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was a hero and he should be presented before parliament.
Meanwhile, PPP activists took out a protest procession and staged a sit-in outside the press club.
THATTA: Dictatorial regimes in Pakistan have always betrayed national heroes and the recent nuclear scandal is a part of a conspiracy to entangle Ms Bhutto. This was observed by Sindh PPP deputy general-secretary Maula Bux Chandio, MNA Shagufta Jumani, MPA Sassui Palijo and other party leaders while speaking at a hunger strike camp outside the press club.
The leaders said real hands in the nuclear proliferation should be exposed. Terming a proposal to convert all divisions in Sindh into provinces a conspiracy to bifurcate the province.
Criticizing the performance of the Sindh government, they said Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar was playing in the hands of coalition partners. Earlier, PPP activists took out a procession and held a public gathering outside the press club.
DADU: Led by MNA Rafiq Ahmad Jamali, MPA Marvi Mazharul Haq and others, PPP activists held a demonstration outside the press club.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Jamali alleged that President Musharraf himself was involved in the transfer of nuclear technology and he had attended a talk on uranium in Libya. He claimed that Dr Khan was not involved in the transfer of the technology. Ms Haq feared that the economy and agricultural system of Sindh would be destroyed after construction of the Kalabagh dam and the Thal canal.
SHIKARPUR: The PPP staged a sit-in at the Mirani Eidgah against Gen Musharraf's policies and poor law and order situation. Aftab Shaban Mirani, MPA Agha Tariq Khan, central committee member Qazi Hafizur Rehman and other PPP leaders and activists participated in the sit-in. Talking to journalists, they deplored anti-democratic activities of the rulers which they termed against interests of the country and its people. They demanded that the government should stop political victimization.
KHAIRPUR: PPP MPA Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said only a political government can bail out the country from the nuclear crisis. He was talking to party activists and office-bearers of eight talukas of Khairpur at a token hunger strike camp set up at the Chati Chowk. He said legislators should be taken in confidence on the issue of nuclear proliferation.
MIRPURKHAS: The PPP district chapter set up a protest camp at a taxi stand. Speaking on the occasion, MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur said the rulers had weakened every department of the country as economic conditions were worsening and government employees were taking to the streets.
He said to protect the nuclear technology was the government's top responsibility.
SUKKUR: PPP activists staged a sit-in in front of the press club and observed a hunger strike to protest against the government for disgracing nuclear scientists and allegedly rolling back the nuclear programme on the behest of the US.
They said the government was blaming Ms Bhutto for trying to roll back the nuclear programme. If it was true, how was it possible to conduct nuclear tests in May 1999, they asked.
JACOBABAD: Activists of the PPP, PML-N and other component parties of the ARD took out a procession from the district PPP office. The procession after marching through different roads terminated at the DC Chowk.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Aijaz Ahmad Hussain Khan Jakhrani, MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani and others strongly condemned the government policies. They said generals had always pushed the country into crisis.
Processions were also taken out in Kashmor, Kandhkot, Thul, Garhi Khero, Dera Allahyar, Dera Murad Jamali, Dadhar, Osta Mohammad and Sohbatpur.
BADIN: PPP activists, led by MPA Nawaz Chandio and others, took out a procession that marched through main thoroughfares.
The protesters later staged a sit-in outside the press club for two hours. Earlier, they observed a token hunger strike at the Shahnawaz Chowk.
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