PPP punishing Badin for its electoral defeat, alleges GDA

Local residents led by Ayaz Latif Palijo protested the water shortage

HYDERABAD: As the people of Badin district continue to endure acute water shortage, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has blamed the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)'s Sindh government for punishing the people en masse to take revenge for the latter's electoral defeat. GDA General Secretary Ayaz Latif Palijo, who led a protest march in Badin on Monday, held the provincial government responsible for curtailing supply of water to the district.

The locals claim that the district's over one million population as well as their livestock were not even receiving drinking water regularly. They claimed that water from their share was being released in the flood canals of Matli town to deprive the people Badin of water.

The district's people elected Fehmida Mirza and her son as MNA and MPA on the GDA ticket in the 2018 general elections. The people also elected a large number of local government representatives nominated by former PPP leader Zulfiqar Mirza in the local government (LG) elections in 2015.

"The rulers are harming the ordinary farmers while protecting the interests of only some big landholders," Palijo alleged. He also found fault with the Centre, Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for water scarcity in Sindh.

"Sindh is being destroyed. Why are the Parliament and courts silent?" he asked. The GDA's leader, who also heads Qaumi Awami Tehreek as its president, demanded that Badin, Thatta, Sujjawal and Umerkot districts should be immediately provided water according to their share.

 

Palijo said Prime Minister Imran Khan has also not yet announced any development package for Sindh. "The country can't progress by changing the ministers. Rather, the situation requires change of policies."

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2019.