Hold rulers accountable for loot, plunder: QAT

The Qomi Awami Tehreek (QAT) President Ayaz Latif Palijo has urged the working class of Sindhi and Urdu speaking people to together hold the previous rulers accountable for every single penny that they plundered during their governments.

Addressing a public meeting of his party in Hyderabad on Sunday, Palijo asked the people of the province to break free from the shackles of slavery and to stop taking at face value the theatrics of the ruling political party.

He cautioned that some powers are again trying to instigate ethnic tensions in Sindh and warned of putting resistance to such conspiracies. "We won't let anyone use the Sindh card to defend their corruption."

The QAT's leader said Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular are being subjected to destruction and plunder for the last 75 years.

Pakistan Peoples Party and the Centre have always demonstrated indifference to the plight of the people of Sindh, he added.

He deplored that feudal and tribal control over the people continues in the province even in the 21st century. "The institutions in Sindh have become destroyed. The cities have turned into ruins and villages have plunged into abject poverty. The low-income groups have been compelled to live the lives of the stone-age."

The QAT's leader urged the courts of law to hold accountable the people who have been plundering with impunity the public funds.

He alleged that trillions of rupees have been embezzled from the funds of local government, irrigation, food, education, health, highways and works and services departments of the provincial government over the years.

He alleged that 2013 and 2018 general elections were completely rigged. "The caretaker government in the province exists only in name but the de facto power still rests with the PPP."

He warned of resisting attempts to settle immigrants in Sindh and to thrust Pakistan again in the foreign wars being perpetrated by the global powers.

Palijo demanded extradition of illegal immigrants; increasing tax on the rich class and waivers for the middle and low income groups; avoiding relief to the accused in the corruption cases; and arresting corrupt politicians and public servants. He reiterated rejection of the digital population census 2023.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2023.