BADIN: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has strongly criticised Paki­stan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, for using “foul and filthy language” against PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other PPP leaders.

He was speaking to the audience of a literary sitting held in the Rupa Marri area late on Friday evening as part of the urs of Dodo Soomro.

Mr Khuhro said that all PPP leaders and workers believed in politics and had always been ready to offer any sacrifices for the country. They had respect for leaders of opponent parties but PTI leaders, including PM Imran Khan and Finance Minister Asad Umar “are hitting below the belt”. He said they must refrain from making mockery of “true politicians” and most popular political figures of the country.

Mr Khuhro said that it did not behove a person of prime minister’s stature to pass such remarks as he did on Friday with regard to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s speech in the National Assembly.

The senior PPP leader remarked that “the selected rulers, after coming to power, forgot the norms and mannerisms, if they had any before”.

He also criticised the prime minister for “giving nothing” to the people of Thar in the name of relief while addressing his party’s public meeting in Chhachhro on Friday. “It’s the Sindh government that has been spending huge amounts of money to mitigate sufferings of the drought-stricken Tharis in their difficult times and will continue to serve them without making false claims,” he added.

Mr Khuhro pointed out that PPP leaders despite facing political victimisation were serving the masses; they were not afraid of threats and oppression; they were “bravely” facing the inquiries instituted against them.

At the outset, Nisar Kh­u­hro paid homage to Dodo Soomro’s role in defending the motherland. “Sindh has produced valiant kings and commanders who laid down their lives fighting for the defence of their motherland,” he said, adding that Dodo Soomro was among the few kings who sacrificed their lives while fighting against invaders of Sindh. He noted that Dodo Soomro was one of the rulers of Soomra dynasty (1024 to 1351) who had left indelible imprints on the pages of history and would always be remembered as the great defenders of the motherland.

Earlier, Mr Khuhro, along with several local PPP leaders, attended a dinner hosted in his honour by MPA Taj Mohammed Mallah.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2019