Ayaz Latif Palijo elected president of QAT

Leader talks about the need for an independent foreign policy in post-election address

HYDERABAD: The Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) has elected Ayaz Latif Palijo as its president after the party's election in Hyderabad on Sunday. Some 2,200 councillors from across Sindh cast their votes to elect the QAT's office bearers.

Many writers, poets, intellectuals and journalists monitored the voting process as observers. The party's members elected Advocate Munawar Jatoi as Vice President and Mazhar Rahujo as General Secretary. Dr Aziz Talpur was elected senior vice president Hyderabad division while Muhammad Usman Laghari, Ali Raaz Johi and Arsala Bhalkani were elected as the vice presidents of Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana divisions.



Speaking after announcement of the results, Palijo said that Sindhis, Punjabis, Balochis, Pashtun, Seraiki and Urdu speaking people should realise that Pakistan is their country. "We have been counting on other Islamic countries so much, expecting that they will stand with us in good stead in our time of need. But the recent welcome of Indian foreign minister Sushma Suwaraj at Organisation of Islamic State's meeting has proved otherwise."

He advised the federal government to stop acting like the spokespersons of the Arab regimes and formulate an independent foreign policy. "The US and the UK have allied with India which has the potential to destabilise this region."

Palijo asked the rulers to concentrate on the domestic front and let the action against corruption and corrupt elements not to be compromised under the garb of the external threats and contingency policies. "The corrupt ministers, MNAs, MPAs and senators in Sindh should be arrested and tried for their corruption."

He demanded that Sindh should be given its due rights over its gas, oil and coal reserves as well as water from Indus River. He said that the water shortage and corruption of irrigation officials in the province has caused huge financial losses to hundreds of thousands of farmers.