Calling for accountability: ‘Our rulers are sacred cows that can’t be questioned’
Irked by corruption, traders and different parties stage sit-in under the banner of Sukkur Development Alliance
PHOTO: EXPRESS
SUKKUR:
While leaders of the West willingly present themselves for accountability without raising an eyebrow, our rulers in Pakistan seem to have become sacred cows that cannot be questioned.
The president of Sukkur Development Alliance (SDA), Jawed Memon, expressed these views at a protest at Minara Road, Sukkur, on Tuesday. Irked by corruption rampant in the country, a large number of traders and activists belonging to political, religious and social groups gathered under the banner of SDA and organised a rally and sit-in.
Fighting the curse of corruption
The protesters, bearing placards and led by Memon, went about from Sarrafa Bazaar, marched through the main thoroughfares of the city and reached Minara Road, where they staged a sit-in. They shouted slogans against ‘corrupt’ politicians and bureaucrats and praised the Pakistan Army.
Anti-corruption drive: Sukkur bands together for Qaumi Parcham Rally
The demonstrators raised slogans in favour of the Chief of Army Staff and demanded of him to carry out merciless accountability across the board. "We are proud of General Raheel Sharif, who started accountability at home, and we expect him to start cleansing operation against the corrupt," said Memon.
Taking strong exception to the 'corrupt politicians and bureaucrats', Memon said the civic condition of the whole country, in general, and Sukkur, in particular, are in shambles.
"The rulers claim to be very democratic but are not ready for accountability," he said. "I don't [know] why democracy is always at stake when an agency or the people start talking about accountability."
He further talked about the visits of the Sindh chief minister and chief secretary to Sukkur, during which they admitted that despite spending billions of rupees on development works, civic conditions in Sukkur remain unchanged.
He added that the people of Sukkur want to know where those billions of rupees have gone.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Ghulam Mustafa Phulpoto of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Ubaidullah Bhutto of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazl.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.
While leaders of the West willingly present themselves for accountability without raising an eyebrow, our rulers in Pakistan seem to have become sacred cows that cannot be questioned.
The president of Sukkur Development Alliance (SDA), Jawed Memon, expressed these views at a protest at Minara Road, Sukkur, on Tuesday. Irked by corruption rampant in the country, a large number of traders and activists belonging to political, religious and social groups gathered under the banner of SDA and organised a rally and sit-in.
Fighting the curse of corruption
The protesters, bearing placards and led by Memon, went about from Sarrafa Bazaar, marched through the main thoroughfares of the city and reached Minara Road, where they staged a sit-in. They shouted slogans against ‘corrupt’ politicians and bureaucrats and praised the Pakistan Army.
Anti-corruption drive: Sukkur bands together for Qaumi Parcham Rally
The demonstrators raised slogans in favour of the Chief of Army Staff and demanded of him to carry out merciless accountability across the board. "We are proud of General Raheel Sharif, who started accountability at home, and we expect him to start cleansing operation against the corrupt," said Memon.
Taking strong exception to the 'corrupt politicians and bureaucrats', Memon said the civic condition of the whole country, in general, and Sukkur, in particular, are in shambles.
"The rulers claim to be very democratic but are not ready for accountability," he said. "I don't [know] why democracy is always at stake when an agency or the people start talking about accountability."
He further talked about the visits of the Sindh chief minister and chief secretary to Sukkur, during which they admitted that despite spending billions of rupees on development works, civic conditions in Sukkur remain unchanged.
He added that the people of Sukkur want to know where those billions of rupees have gone.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Ghulam Mustafa Phulpoto of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Ubaidullah Bhutto of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazl.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.