Prime Minister Imran Khan. PHOTO:AFP
It was a rare show in the recent history of Karachi, where members of different political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), thronged the Jinnah Ground. Amid the loud cries and chants of protests, posters emblazoned with slogans like “go Niazi go, ro Imran ro” [go Niazi go, cry Imran cry] could be seen hanging around the ground.
While the crowd protested on the ground, the top leadership of different political parties, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ayaz Sadiq, Aimal Wali Khan, Khursheed Shah, Sherry Rehman, Qaim Ali Shah, Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi and Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah, gave fiery speeches on a 120-foot-wide and 30-foot-high stage.
“This protest is against the incompetent government which has brought about a tsunami of inflation,” said PPP MNA Nafisa Shah, addressing the crowd. She claimed that during last year, PTI had taken loans worth $17 billion.
Nafisa criticised the government for its “incompetent policies”, which, she said, have resulted in the “devaluation of rupee and have heavily impacted the country’s economy.” Industries and factories are shutting down and people are being deprived of their livelihood, she added.
“There is a selected prime minister, a selected cabinet and selective accountability in our country,” she remarked.
When it was his turn to speak, PML-N leader and former speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq said that opposition parties have gathered here [at Jinnah Ground] to demand respect for people’s vote and protest against the “stealing of their mandate by the PTI’s puppet government.”
“The rare show of all opposition parties gathering at one place proves that the PTI government has failed badly and it must go packing,” he said, adding that the opposition’s struggle will continue until “it sends PTI back to Bani Gala.”
He demanded the imposition of Article 6 on Prime Minister Imran Khan for defaming Pakistan during his recent visit to USA. Sadiq also appreciated the PML-N government for resolving the energy crises and developing a network of highways in the country during its reign.
Addressing the participants of the protest rally, ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan said that he prefers death over slavery and dictatorship.
“The tsunami of people which has emerged on the call of the protest proves that PTI no longer has the right to govern the country,” he said, adding that “we will end the soft coup and revive true democracy in Pakistan.”
Sindh CM Shah said that on July 25, 1978, first test-tube baby was created and exactly after 40 years, first test-tube democracy [government] was created in Pakistan. “This is why the joint opposition has decided to observe July 25 as a black day,” he said.
The rally that was scheduled to begin at 6pm was delayed by half an hour. The first caravan, comprising women carrying PPP and PML-N flags, arrived at the ground at 6:30pm. Six main entry points were set up for the rally participants and People Youth Wing workers and Peoples Student Federation activists were deputed at the main gate to facilitate the rally participants.
Meanwhile, rallies heading towards the Jinnah Ground caused massive traffic jams in different areas of Karachi, especially in the old city area.
Police pickets were set up at various points to deal with any untoward incident and a bomb disposal squad had combed the Jinnah ground for any hidden explosive materials before the rally started.
Bilawal Bhutto, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hyder and Khursheed Shah also spoke on the occasion.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 26th, 2019.
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