On the same page: Nationalists bury the hatchet in time for elections
Dr Qadir Magsi decides not to contest elections from PS-47 constituency.
Dr Qadir Magsi decides not to contest elections from PS-47 constituency.
HYDERABAD:
The rift between the Qaumi Awami Tehreek and Sindh Taraqi Pasand party, which had the potential to rupture cohesion among the Sindhi nationalist parties, has been neutralised. The STP chairperson, Dr Qadir Magsi, after making a strong case to contest the elections from PS-47 constituency of the Sindh Assembly finally relented.
“I have withdrawn for the sake of unity. We [the nationalists] had promised the people of Sindh that we will field joint candidates in the elections and will defeat the enemies of our motherland. I am honouring that promise,” said Magsi at a press conference on Thursday. “The opponents thought they would ridicule us by saying that if Magsi and Palijo can’t work together, how can they lead the Sindhi nation.”
The two leaders had locked horns and exchanged harsh statements over fighting from the Qasimabad seat in Hyderabad. The area is considered important because it is home to the migrants from all the 21 districts of Sindh, excluding Karachi and Hyderabad. The headquarters of both the parties are also located in this area.
Along with the Sindh United Party, the two parties are part of the tripartite Sindh Progressive Nationalist Alliance (SPNA) - the nationalists who do not want Sindh’s division from Pakistan and take part in the parliamentary politics.
Palijo, who submitted his nomination form for PS-47 on Thursday, welcomed Magsi’s announcement. “We will not field any candidate against each other [nationalist parties],” he told reporters at the district and sessions court after submitting the papers.
The SPNA has prepared a list of joint candidates and it has been shared with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2013.
The rift between the Qaumi Awami Tehreek and Sindh Taraqi Pasand party, which had the potential to rupture cohesion among the Sindhi nationalist parties, has been neutralised. The STP chairperson, Dr Qadir Magsi, after making a strong case to contest the elections from PS-47 constituency of the Sindh Assembly finally relented.
“I have withdrawn for the sake of unity. We [the nationalists] had promised the people of Sindh that we will field joint candidates in the elections and will defeat the enemies of our motherland. I am honouring that promise,” said Magsi at a press conference on Thursday. “The opponents thought they would ridicule us by saying that if Magsi and Palijo can’t work together, how can they lead the Sindhi nation.”
The two leaders had locked horns and exchanged harsh statements over fighting from the Qasimabad seat in Hyderabad. The area is considered important because it is home to the migrants from all the 21 districts of Sindh, excluding Karachi and Hyderabad. The headquarters of both the parties are also located in this area.
Along with the Sindh United Party, the two parties are part of the tripartite Sindh Progressive Nationalist Alliance (SPNA) - the nationalists who do not want Sindh’s division from Pakistan and take part in the parliamentary politics.
Palijo, who submitted his nomination form for PS-47 on Thursday, welcomed Magsi’s announcement. “We will not field any candidate against each other [nationalist parties],” he told reporters at the district and sessions court after submitting the papers.
The SPNA has prepared a list of joint candidates and it has been shared with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2013.