Multan gathering: Qureshi lashes out at govt over Balochistan

PTI leaders call for boycotting by-elections.

MULTAN: Long-time rivals turned colleagues in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Javed Hashmi, addressed PTI workers for the first time together in the absence of party chief Imran Khan.

Speaking at his residence, Shah Mahmood Qureshi lashed out against the government, saying it was unconcerned over missing people and the violation of human rights in Pakistan.  He warned that the US conspiracy of “dismembering” Balochistan would be a greater threat to India than to Pakistan.

Referring to Nawaz Sharif’s recent vocal support for Balochistan, he said Sharif’s politics was for his own vested interests rather than for the welfare of the troubled province.

Qureshi added that the army should stay out of civilian affairs. Qureshi called for boycotting by-elections, saying that the election commission ‘deceived’ the Supreme Court by organising elections on old voters’ lists.

Referring to the recent trilateral summit in Pakistan, he said negotiations between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan had failed. No country has given a guarantee of peace in Afghanistan, he said, and warned that Pakistan would be in the worst position if Iran was attacked.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2012.