Back and forth: I’ll restore peace in Karachi, says Nawaz

Altaf accuses PML-N chief of patronising terrorists.

HYDERABAD/ KARACHI:

After having focused most of its attention on Punjab, the PML-N entered Sindh, choosing a PPP stronghold as the venue for a show of strength.

Nawaz Sharif, addressing a public gathering in the coastal city of Thatta, which till now remains a political stronghold of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the influential Sherazi family, vowed to restore peace in Karachi and Balochistan.”I want to tell the people of Karachi that even if they don’t vote for us, we will still sacrifice our lives for them.”

The PML-N chief said that if voted into power, his party would take steps to put an end to the ceaseless spate of violence in Karachi and Balochistan. He regretted that the measures taken by the outgoing government in this regard were insincere.

He criticised the PPP for having disillusioned the people of Sindh who voted the party into power. “Five years down the line, do you feel any change in the quality of your life? Do you earn enough to pay for the health and education of your children? Do the young men in Thatta have jobs?” he questioned the people and appealed them to make a prudent decision, while casting their vote this time.

He pledged to eradicate corruption in the political and administrative system of the country and also promised to announce small loans for the youth.

Nawaz said Thatta is a historic city but the PPP government had failed to restore its lost glory. Elaborating his ideas for the future, he said that over 2,000 villages would be provided not only electricity and gas but a dual carriage-way would also be built from Thatta to Ghora Bari Tehsil, connecting Thatta with the proposed Karachi-Hyderabad motorway.

The former chief minister Sindh and leader of Peoples Muslim League Arbab Ghulam Rahim and PML-N leaders Ghous Ali Shah, Marvi Memon among others were present.

The MQM chief on the other hand took a jab at the Sharif brothers while addressing a public gathering of the elderly wing of the party. He said, “MQM has no militant wings. How can they accuse parties of having militant wings in this city, when in their own province they are patronising terrorists?”

In an apparent reference to Nawaz Sharif, Hussain said that a ‘leader’ is promising to eliminate militant wings when he comes into power. “If these groups are in Karachi, then why are Kalashnikovs fired in Punjab,” he questioned.

He also said that the upcoming elections would be a fight between progressive and parties supporting extremism and terrorism.

He added that the day MQM is voted into power, it would take over palaces in Raiwind and convert them into schools, colleges and health centres.

“Everyone knows who is carrying out the bomb attacks, and killing innocent people. Yet these leaders remain quiet, and don’t condemn them,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2013.