GDA forms committee to pursue Centre for Sindh’s interests

Committee will approach Centre for resolution of water crisis, jobs for Sindh's youth

KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) - an alliance of political parties in Sindh against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party - has announced the formation of a committee to pursue the federal government to help resolve provincial issues and has demanded 0.5 million jobs for Sindh's youth in federal government departments.

A meeting of the allied parties, chaired by Pir Pagara who also heads the alliance, also demanded to establish industrial zones in six divisions of Sindh and stressed the need to expedite the accountability process by taking action against corrupt rulers of Sindh. "The PPP government has looted and plundered Sindh's resources. NAB should take action against the big fish and return looted public money," said Pir Pagara, while addressing the meeting.

The meeting discussed the current political situation, Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to the US, corruption and bad governance in Sindh.

After the meeting, GDA general-secretary Ayaz Latif Palijo, addressing a joint press conference with Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi, Zulfikar Mirza, Nand Kumar Goklani, Dr Safdar Abbasi and other leaders, said that the meeting expressed serious concern over the poor condition of Sindh's agriculture sector and severe shortage of water.

He said that a five-member committee has been formed to pursue the federal government, especially the prime minister, to help resolve Sindh's issues. The committee would comprise Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi, Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Ayaz Latif Palijo and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. "Since the PPP government has failed to deliver, we request the prime minister to consider Sindh's core issues, including water and means of livelihood," said Palijo. He dispelled the impression that there were differences among leaders of the alliance.

Zulfiqar Mirza said that the incumbent PPP rulers have turned Badin into "Karbala", where people are struggling for water.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2019.