Hyderabad rally: Sindh can’t be ruined, declares Bilawal

Says Nawaz, Imran always visit Sindh to deceive people

HYDERABAD: As he cautioned the people of Sindh over looking at political alternatives to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari sought their electoral support in yet another election.

At his first public meeting in Hyderabad on Wednesday, Bilawal listed the sacrifices of the PPP leadership and workers, its ideology, and his perceptions about what the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would do to Sindh if elected.

"Mian sahib [Nawaz Sharif] and Khan sahib [Imran Khan], whenever they come to Sindh, they say that Sindh has been ruined. But this is all falsehood, deception and propaganda," he argued emphatically to a large crowd of the party's supporters who gathered from nine districts of Hyderabad division to watch their leader at a ground along Hyderabad Bypass. "Sindh can never be ruined," he declared.

Among the mainstream national parties which the people of Sindh may consider viable options, Bilawal made his case for how both the PML-N and the PTI will never serve the interests of Sindh.

"On one side, there is PML-N, and on other, the PTI. The PML-N only does the politics of personal interests. It has no concern for the people and no programme for the people. Only personal interests and personal defence are dear to them," he remarked.

He accused the PML-N leadership of being willing to sacrifice the country's interests for the Sharif family’s and blamed the party for striking deals with the extremists. "They make laws to save individuals,” he said, referring to a recent legislation to allow Sharif to be elected as party president despite the Supreme Court judgment against him."

The young PPP leader described Khan as an “egomaniacal charlatan” who “still hasn't come out of the cricket ground”.

“Politics isn't a game. Politics isn't abuse. Politics isn't making false allegations against opponents," he said, ascribing these characteristics as hallmarks of the PTI's politicking.

He advised the people against paying heed to the propaganda of the PPP's political opponents and said the two leaders always come to Sindh to deceive the people. "They didn't do anything for you in the past nor will they do anything in the future," he told the gathering.

Bilawal praised his party as a federal, democratic and republican party that wanted to establish a society of equality and tolerance in Pakistan. He added that the PPP wanted an equal distribution of wealth and to make Pakistan a sovereign and strong state.

He said Sharif visited Sindh four times in as many years and in each visit he announced billions of rupees for the province, but so far the promised financial grants had not been released. "Once he announced Rs2 billion for Tharparkar. He also went to Thatta and Jacobabad and announced financial grants, but the result has been nothing."

The PPP chairman went on to criticise the PML-N's government for “failing to fulfil its commitment” to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and state minister Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi.

"Recently new prime minister [Shahid Khaqan Abbasi], in order to buy votes from the MQM, promised to provide Rs30 billion for Karachi and Hyderabad. But after these announcements, the MQM and Jatoi sahib are standing with their hands raised waiting for the money," he claimed.

He questioned the claims of Sharif’s PML-N regarding development and early completion of the projects and reminded it that none of the handful of federal-funded projects in Sindh had been completed.

"They even snatched the Super Highway, saying they are making a motorway instead. But despite its inauguration by [former PM] Sharif, the project has still not been completed and the existing road is even worse than what existed earlier," he argued, pointing out that nearly 100 people had died since the construction of the M9 motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad began.

Bilawal also touched on the subject of water shortage and blamed the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the problem. He said IRSA had recently announced a reduction of Sindh's share for Rabi crop season by 20% to 30%. "This will cause huge losses for agriculture [in the province]," he said.

Although he acknowledged that a shortage of water existed in the whole country, he held IRSA responsible for non-equitable water distribution harming Sindh.

“Sindh is at the tail-end and has higher rights over river water, but is not even being given its due share,” he said, adding, "What justice is it that when there is excess water, they release it towards Sindh and drown the province, and when there is a shortage, they leave the people thirsty."

Bilawal and other speakers paid tribute to the martyrs of the Karsaz blast on Oct 18, 2007. About 180 people had been killed and 500 injured in the incident.



Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah questioned the youth, intellectuals, writers, poets and opinion makers to answer why the incidents which killed PPP leaders and their families had happened.

"Why shouldn't I ask you that why July 5, 1977, April 5, 1979 [incidents], July 1984 killing of Shahnawaz Bhutto, September 1996 killing of Murtaza Bhutto and Oct 18, 2007 [blast] happened. Why was only the PPP leadership targeted this way?"

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Minister Nisar Khuhro, PPP Information Secretary Maula Bux Chandio and other party leaders also addressed the meeting.