Post-Panamagate politics: PPP sit-in demands Nawaz to step down

Demands rightful division of basic utilities from federal government

KARACHI: As part of its ‘Go, Nawaz go’ movement, the Pakistan Peoples Party on Wednesday staged a sit-in at the Quaid’s Mausoleum, demanding rightful division of basic utilities from the federal government.

Charged PPP workers demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down, as he no longer qualified to remain as head of the government after the Panama verdict announced by the apex court on April 20.

A protest and public gathering was held outside the VIP Gate of the Mazar-e-Quaid where a large number of demonstrators chanted slogans against the provision of rights for the Sindh province and the PM’s resignation.



Top PPP leadership including the Sindh chief minister, his cabinet members, Sindh Assembly speaker, senators Sherry Rehman, Saeed Ghani and Aajiz Damrah and MPAs were present in large numbers to send a message that people were suffering from long hours of load-shedding and gas and water shortages across the province.

PPP Sindh president and senior minister Nisar Khuhro, while addressing the protesters chanted slogans, ‘Gali gali mein shor hai, Nawaz Sharif chor hai’ (there is call from every street that Nawaz Sharif is thief).

According to Khuhro, Nawaz Sharif was responsible for the shortage of water, electricity and gas in Sindh. He added that rulers of the country had no idea of the people’s power “as the show to take resignation of Sharif has just begun from Sindh”.

“We have come here to register our complaints to Quaid-e-Azam that a thief has been ruling the country as its PM,” the senior minister said, adding, “Nawaz Sharif has ruined the image of Pakistan in the world.”

He remarked that the judges had also claimed Sharif as no more innocent and said it was unfortunate that he had still been holding the seat of the PM shamelessly.



He added, “We will make Bilawal Bhutto Zardari sit on the seat of the PM.”

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, while criticising the federal government, said: “If we have to save democracy, then the PM has to resign. Currently, he is not even qualified to become MNA.”

“People have been forced to protest against load-shedding in such high temperature,” he said.

“Sindh is being given a step-motherly treatment by the ruling PML-N,” Shah said, adding: “The people of Sindh has to face 20 hours of load-shedding.”

“The message has been sent to the entire world through the protests initiated under the banner of the ‘go, Nawaz go’ movement that injustice has been done with Sindh.”

Senator Sherry Rehman on the occasion said: “PML-N leaders want to destroy institutions,” adding: “They don’t believe in parliament and other national institutions.”

She, while holding a hand fan as a sign of protest, said the federal government rather doing something to end load-shedding has spent Rs12 billion on advertisements.”

Senator Aajiz Damrah said the sea of people in Karachi would surely send a message to Islamabad that people have stood against the ruling party and Nawaz Sharif for corruption.

Senator Saeed Ghani later on announced another sit-in against the PM on May 1 at Nishtar Park as part of the ‘go, Nawaz go, campaign.