SUKKUR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Sindh acting president Haleem Adil Sheikh has said that the 18th Amendment cannot chain their feet nor can it raise hurdles to their mission.

He said at a joint press conference with Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar at Gohar Palace in Khangarh on Friday that whenever the corrupt were held accountable for their misdeeds, they suddenly started seeing democracy in danger.

Democracy also came under attack for these people when police used batons against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) activists in Rawalpindi but when the Sindh government beat up protesting teachers with batons in Karachi, it was dubbed as “beauty of democracy”.

He said that prime minister would come to Khangarh on Saturday after speaking at his first public meeting in Chhachhro. He was bringing an important message for Sindh, he said.

‘Naya Sindh roadmap’

He said the prime minister would unveil his roadmap for naya Sindh as it was an important part of naya Pakistan, at the second major rally in Sindh at Ghotki. The prime minister would raise issues of the oppressed people as he wanted to end the deepening sense of deprivation among people of the province, he said.

Mr Sheikh said that PTI government wanted to ensure that people of Sindh were provided water, gas, electricity and all other basic facilities but PPP only demanded money.

He said that Mahar family was an important political family, which had rendered great services for the country since its inception. They family had been in the forefront in the province’s politics and always offered services for the defence and stability of the country, he said.

He said that children were dying in Tharparkar because of malnutrition and viral diseases but PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was busy leading a train march. He was provided the train because of his friendship with Shaikh Rashid, he said in a lighter vein.

Sardar Ali Gohar said that the sense of deprivation had deepened in Sindh over the past 10 years and now it was high time this feeling was ended. Despite being rich in gas reserves, Ghotki residents were deprived of even basic facilities of life and their just share in the revenue generated by the district, he said.

He hoped the prime minister would announce a big package for the people of Sukkur and Ghotki districts during his visit and said that he enjoyed complete support of GDA head Pir Sahib Pagaro.

Earlier, the two leaders reviewed arrangements for the rally in Ghotki for which strict security arrangements have been made. Gohar Palace has been decorated with party flags to greet the PM.

The prime minister would also meet PTI leaders at Gohar Palace and discuss with them prevailing situation in the province, Sheikh said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2019