President Zardari warns Dharejo brothers to stop campaign

Workers protest against possibility of Mahars joining PPP.

GHOTKI: President Asif Ali Zardari warned Saifullah Dharejo on Monday to stop the campaign against the possible alliance between the Mahar group and Pakistan Peoples Party.

After learning that the Mahars might join PPP, party workers in Ghotki have been protesting in different parts of the district. The report presented to the party co-chairperson, President Zardari, disclosed that the Dharejo brothers — irrigation minister, Jam Saifullah Dharejo, and member of Sindh Assembly, Jam Ikramullah Dharejo — were behind the campaign against Mahar group.

Sources informed Sindh Express that after receiving the detailed report by district leadership, President Zardari telephoned Saifullah to stop instigating such protests in the district and warned him that he may lose his ministry if these protests continued.

On the other hand, the PPP leadership has contacted the Mahar brothers to join the party within a few days as the delay may cause rifts within the party. Mahars have also been in contact with the Pakistan Muslim League- Functional and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz.

According to sources, the Dharejo brothers tried to convince the party leadership not to form an alliance with the Mahars but after receiving a cold response, they started protests through party workers.

The Mahar group includes Ali Gohar and his brothers, Ali Muhammad Mahar and Raja Mahar, and their cousin, Muhammad Bux Mahar. Ali Muhammad was the Sindh chief minister during General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s tenure.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2012.