LARKANA: Qaumi Awami Tehreek chief Ayaz Latif Palijo has accused the federal government of “capturing” Sindh’s islands in violation of the Constitution and the spirit of provincial autonomy.

He said during his address to participants in ‘Muhabbat-i-Sindh baidari march’ after they arrived at Jinnahbagh Chowk on Thursday night that people of Sindh would oppose tooth and nail Sindh government’s decision to hand over islands to federal government. The march, which will pass through different cities en route to Karachi, began from Kandhkot during the day.

Palijo said that Pakistan Peoples Party leadership had allowed the federal government, in return for assurances about its government in the province, to go ahead with plans for “occupation” of the islands.

Contrary to them, he said, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto were brave leaders who never betrayed their people. Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro’s voice always reverberated in the Senate for Sindh’s rights and Bashir Khan Qureshi courageously stood his ground as long as he was alive, he said.

He criticised the Sindh government for its bad governance and corruption and said that it was depressing to see Larkana ruined under PPP rule. The city lacked civic facilities, adequate education and health services with cases of HIV and even dog bite on the rise. Crimes against children were also frequently reported in the city, he said.

Ongoing march aimed at raising multiple issues of Sindh, Palijo tells participants

Palijo asked people to fight for their rights and appealed to chief justices of Supreme Court and Sindh High Court to play their role to restore glory of Larkana. PML-N had done nothing for Sindh while the issues of women and minority rights were not on the agenda of Pakistan Democratic Movement, he said.

He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akhtar Mengal, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Dr Abdul Malik talked about Sindh’s islands in their speeches but PML-N leadership completely evaded the subject.

GDA MPA Moazzam Abbasi said that Sindh government itself had issued an NOC to the federal government allowing it to develop the islands but later backed out in the wake of public pressure.

DADU: Speaking to participants in the rally outside Dadu Press Club, Palijo said that Sindh’s issues were not on agenda of representatives of PTI, PPP and PML-N sitting in Islamabad.

He said that the Sindh chief minister was hand in glove with the federal government on islands issue but people were against the presidential ordinance and considered it an “attack” on provincial autonomy.

He appealed to the prime minister to withdraw the ordinance and urged Sindh government to take back its decision to “sell” Karo­onjhar hills.

Earlier, the march reached Mehar town where Umme Rubab Chandio welcomed it and said people supported Palijo for his principled stand on islands.

NAUSHAHRO FE­R­OZE: Palijo said while addressing a rally in Moro town that people of Sindh had completely rejected the ordinance on islands.

He said that islands and Karoonjhar hills were Sindh’s assets and they knew how to protect them, adding that Sindh’s rulers were acting against the province’s interests but Sindhi media was playing a positive role to awaken people to the significance of the issue.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2020