PPP activists rally against NA deputy speaker in DI Khan

Speakers say they will not allow party leaders to attend Kundi's public meeting on March 25.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Hundreds of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) activists from Tank and DI Khan districts on Sunday staged a protest rally against incumbent deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi.

The rally started from Haq Nawaz Park and after traversing Topanwalah and Rahim Bazaar, culminated at Chugalla Bazaar. Chugalla is a busy marketplace, located in the centre of DI Khan city, where protesters also burnt an effigy of Kundi.

PPP leader who addressed the rally, included PPP Tank President Engineer Dawar Kundi, General Secretary Ashaq Hussain and DI Khan Divisional Convener Saeed Akthar Baloch.

The speakers alleged that Faisal Kundi and his brother Ahmad Karim Kundi were involved in corruption in the development works, and demanded a NAB inquiry against the Kundi Construction Company.

They also alleged that loaded trucks for the flood-affected people of DI Khan and Tank were sold by Kundi in Faisalabad and other parts of Pakistan.

The speakers also accused the National Assembly deputy speaker of meddling in party affairs in Tank.

Engineer Dawar Kundi, a cousin of Faisal Kundi, said, “The expected candidature of Faisal Kundi from NA-25, Tank constituency is an injustice to Tank residents as he has done nothing for them.”

Faisal Kundi recently announced that he will contest the coming general elections from NA-25, Tank.

The speakers had also announced that they will not allow PPP leaders to participate in Faisal Kundi’s public meeting to be held in Naiwillah area on March 25.

Rally against Tank’s inclusion in proposed Seraiki province

Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators, led by Nawab of Tank Sadat Khan, rejected the proposal to include Tank in the proposed Seraiki province.

The protest rally, attended by the Bittani, Marwat, Kundi and other Pashtun tribes including Wazir tribesmen settled in Tank, marched from Pir Sabir Shah Zyarat and reached Traffic Chowk where a public meeting was held.

The Tank-Dera Ismail Khan road was blocked for almost two hours, resulting in traffic jams in Tank city. The participants of the rally were carrying banners inscribed with the slogans against Seraiki Province and in favour of a separate province for Pashtuns, called ‘Pakhtunistan’.

Sadat Khan told the rally that before the independence of Pakistan, they fought for Tank state against the Sikh and British forces and defeated them.

“Today, Seraiki community, a small portion of the population limited to a few towns in Tank, is raising unjust demand of including tank in Seraiki Province but we will never accept it at any cost,” he added.

He further said that if the government was serious in forming new provinces, a separate province starting from Mianwalli to Quetta should be made for Pashtuns.