Season of politicking : Shah threatens ‘long march’ on Lahore
Sindh CM says people support the party for serving them.
UBARO:
As the opposition mounts its rhetoric against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the latter has hit back at a rally in its home base.
Sindh Chief Minister and senior PPP leader Qaim Ali Shah threatened a long march against the Pakistan-Muslim League-Nawaz’s Punjab government – one which would travel to Lahore and beyond.
Addressing a large rally at Kamoon Shaheed, Ubaro, Shah claimed that almost a million people were in attendance, and when the time came, the 55 million inhabitants of Sindh will march onto and lay siege to ‘Takht-e-Lahore.’
Flaying PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for talking about broken promises, Shah claimed that he had once vowed that he would neither be dictated, nor would he resign.
“But when his supporters marched to Lahore to protest against General Pervez Musharraf overthrowing him in a coup in 1999, they discovered that not only had Nawaz taken dictation and resigned, but had put his hands up against the dictator, pleading for mercy,” Shah said.
With general elections due, Shah also hinted at the possibility of elections as early as November. “November, December is not far, you can try. The people are angry that he (Nawaz) wants to push out the public’s government,” the chief minister said.
He said that when the elections come around, the people would once again vote the PPP into power. “Nawaz was twice given the chance, what did he do for you?” Shah asked, adding that the PPP had “served the public, the poor, farmers and the youth.”
Throwing in his reelection pitch, Shah said that the PPP’s business was unfinished, and that it was their party which would empower women, give jobs to the youth and give rights to people.
Earlier, other PPP leaders also addressed the gathering, and said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is brave for refusing to resign after being convicted in the contempt case.
They also praised him for defending the party and “the Constitution.” The speakers were also highly critical of the judiciary and Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2012.
As the opposition mounts its rhetoric against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the latter has hit back at a rally in its home base.
Sindh Chief Minister and senior PPP leader Qaim Ali Shah threatened a long march against the Pakistan-Muslim League-Nawaz’s Punjab government – one which would travel to Lahore and beyond.
Addressing a large rally at Kamoon Shaheed, Ubaro, Shah claimed that almost a million people were in attendance, and when the time came, the 55 million inhabitants of Sindh will march onto and lay siege to ‘Takht-e-Lahore.’
Flaying PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif for talking about broken promises, Shah claimed that he had once vowed that he would neither be dictated, nor would he resign.
“But when his supporters marched to Lahore to protest against General Pervez Musharraf overthrowing him in a coup in 1999, they discovered that not only had Nawaz taken dictation and resigned, but had put his hands up against the dictator, pleading for mercy,” Shah said.
With general elections due, Shah also hinted at the possibility of elections as early as November. “November, December is not far, you can try. The people are angry that he (Nawaz) wants to push out the public’s government,” the chief minister said.
He said that when the elections come around, the people would once again vote the PPP into power. “Nawaz was twice given the chance, what did he do for you?” Shah asked, adding that the PPP had “served the public, the poor, farmers and the youth.”
Throwing in his reelection pitch, Shah said that the PPP’s business was unfinished, and that it was their party which would empower women, give jobs to the youth and give rights to people.
Earlier, other PPP leaders also addressed the gathering, and said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is brave for refusing to resign after being convicted in the contempt case.
They also praised him for defending the party and “the Constitution.” The speakers were also highly critical of the judiciary and Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2012.