PSP calls for broad national dialogue

Calling for political stakeholders to quit playing the blame game, Pak Sarzameen Party chief Mustafa Kamal urged them to instead initiate a broad national dialogue to steer the country out of chronic troubles.

Scores of people gathered for the PSP public meeting, set up to rival the recent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally in the metropolis, at Bagh-e-Jinnah on Sunday as a large panaflex stating, ‘The prosperity of Karachi is prosperity of Pakistan, Karachi does not need aid, it deserves it,’ set the tone.

“Karachi banaya tha, Pakistan banayenge [we built Karachi, we will build Pakistan],” was the motto touted by the PSP as Kamal censured incumbent political leaders for their perpetual tendency to pass the buck and evade responsibility on matters concerning the public.

He warned the rulers to not undermine the power of the masses. “A silent revolution will wipe out the ruling elite,” opined Kamal, demanding a ‘new and correct’ census for Karachi as it affects everything - from national and provincial representation in the form of assembly seats to the provision of basic necessities.

According to the PSP chairperson, the government wanted to put down the opposition while the opposition wants to be rid of the government and come to power. Prime Minister Imran Khan should decide whether he is a premier or a monarch, said Kamal, adding, “Under the Constitution, you [Imran] are bound to sit with the opposition and resolve national issues.”

He opined that the country was at a crossroads, with unprecedented uncertainty among the masses, while state institutions were being targeted under any pretext causing a constitutional crisis. Censuring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz, Kamal asked what she had ever done for the recovery of missing persons.

Maryam had last month voiced concern for missing persons at a PDM rally in Quetta, Balochistan, throwing a cause often suppressed at the national level into the limelight. In a rare show of solidarity by a national politician, she had invited families of Baloch missing persons on stage at the rally.

Kamal accused her of exploiting the plight of families of missing persons for her own political interests. Maryam’s calls of ‘shame shame’ added to the distress of the families, he asserted, asking what the PML-N or the Pakistan Peoples Party had ever done for the recovery of missing persons.

“When we came back to Karachi on March 3, 2016, the families of more than 500 missing persons came to us with hope,” he said, adding that he too could have held press conferences with them. “I never took a picture with someone but sought forgiveness for them from the ruling powers openly as well as secretly.”

According to Kamal, 480 of those missing persons have been recovered.

Censuring the PPP-led Sindh government, Kamal maintained that the entire province - from Karachi to Kashmore - portrayed a dismal picture of neglect, betrayal and corruption. “I spent only 300 billion in my tenure as mayor and the city was included among 12 fastest growing cities is the world. We built hospitals, parks, educational institutions, bridges, flyovers, roads …the city was clean during my tenure,” claimed the former city nazim.

He called out the PPP for portraying itself as a champion of human rights and democracy while looting from Sindh’s tax collections and the National Finance Commission award. He further pointed to dog-bite cases, water and power woes, crumbling infrastructure and regressive economic policies as examples of failing governance. “People have no welfare, inflation has broken the backs of the poor, [but] no one cares about real public issues.”

Meanwhile, PSP president Anis Qaimkhani directed his criticism towards the 11-party opposition alliance under the PDM banner and opined that it had failed to highlight the issues plaguing Karachi’s people. Qaimkhani dubbed the PDM rally in Karachi at the same venue last month a failure and vowed that the PSP would do more for the city.

Camps of the PSP’s student and labour wings were set up in the grounds as well as medical facilities and a media cell, among other welcome camps for party workers, volunteers and participants.

As the audience faced the stage, music blasted through the sound system set up in the grounds to make the meeting a festive affair and, between speeches, participants danced to PSP tunes such as ‘Kamal hi Kamal’.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2020.