Finalising Arrangements: PPP reviews security for gathering

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Peoples Party appears to be going all out to turn its October 15 public gathering in Hyderabad a success.

During a meeting on Saturday, chief minister Qaim Ali Shah reviewed security measures for the event, as the party’s top leadership, including former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raza Rabbani, are expected to attend. The PPP is also counting on its jiyalas from all over the province, and specially from Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Matiari and Thatta, to attend the gathering. The party is also planning to hold similar events in Larkana and Sukkur.

The party’s student wing, Sindh Peoples Student Federation, is expected to share security duties with the police. However, Rangers might also be asked to provide supplemental security, given that nationalist parties have announced to observe a “black day” on the occasion. The chief minister directed Hyderabad DIG to present a security plan. “It will be a historic event, and the district administration has been asked to arrange 50,000 chairs inside the ground, behind Rajputana Hospital,” said PPP Hyderabad president Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman. Shah, who is also the PPP Sindh president, directed Jameeluzzaman to setup up welcome camps in the city. Officials also reviewed arrangements for the provision of drinking water facilities and traffic arrangements.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2012.