MITHI, March 1: The country needs a leadership who prefer to live and die here, besides serving the poor masses with dedication and honesty.

This was said by former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while addressing a public gathering at the sports stadium in Chhachhro on Tuesday.

He said some circles were not happy and were comparing him with Farooq Leghari.

However, Mr Qureshi said he considered himself an ordinary activist of the PPP and vowed to remain sincere to the party.

He said he had come to Thar twice in the past for election campaigns of PPP candidates and a large number of its noted leaders were present in election rallies. But “today they are not here”.

He said that some powerful elements, who played the politics of wealth, had pressurized some transporters for not providing vehicles to those who had to attend his function at Chhachhro. But despite all hurdles, thousands of followers of his Ghuosia Jamat attended his function which could be said the biggest function in Thar, he said.

Earlier, scores of Tharis, including his disciples, gave a warm welcome to Mr Qureshi when his motorcade went onwards to Chhachhro where sports stadium was packed to its capacity.

People riding on camels, jeeps, trucks, motorcycles, buses and trucks were on both sides of the road from Umerkot to Chhachhro. They set up welcome camps.