Coalition partners want violence before the elections, say parties

‘As long as the PPP follows its policy of reconciliation, there will be no peace’.

KARACHI: Sindh’s coalition partners are stoking ethnic violence in Karachi before the general elections so they can cling to power, said political and religious parties after a meeting on Sunday. And as long as the ruling party follows its policy of reconciliation, there will be no peace in the city.

The Pakistan Peoples Party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party came under fire from the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (F), Sunni Tehreek, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Awami Muslim League, Awami Tehreek, and other political and religious parties.

The all-parties conference was organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday.

The leaders pointed out that despite the deployment of law-enforcement personnel in different areas, killers were roaming free. These parties blamed the coalition partners for the killings and loss of public property over the last one week.

The parties demanded compensation for the victims, transporters and traders and appealed to the business community, transporters and civil society to support them to ensure peace prevailed.

Separately, the Awami National Party’s Bashir Jan held his own press conference to demand the elimination of no-go areas from the city. He was upset with the Rangers for raiding their party headquarters at Bacha Khan Markaz in Banaras and demanded that the government take action against those who had ‘dishonoured’ it.

“We are picking up the bodies of our activists, some are fighting for their lives in hospitals and yet our homes are being raided,” he said, urging for action to be taken against other parties as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2012.