SUKKUR: Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar has achieved considerable success since parting ways with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as many notables from his area of influence called on him at Gohar Palace in Khangarh on Monday and assured him of their full support in the upcoming general election.

Explaining the reasons behind his decision to stop supporting PPP, Sardar Mahar said that the PPP high command did not keep its word while the party had been in power over the past five years. In this regard, he mentioned non-payment of royalty [pertaining to natural resources of Ghotki], unfulfilled promise of a development package for the district and several political decisions taken by the PPP leadership against his advice.

Why should the people of Ghotki again vote for a party that gave nothing to them after coming to power? he questioned.

Sardar Mahar told the notables, including Mohammad Ismail Gabol, Sobho Gadani, Irshad Qureshi, Abdul Majeed Mahar, Ali Murad Chang, Yaseen Gadani, Mukhi Makhand Ram, Mukhi Sudam Chand, Engineer Krishan Kapoor, Khushi Mohammad Mohtem, Mohammad Mahar and Dr Mohammad Yakoob Mahar, that he through a delegation of influential political figures tried to convince Sardar Mohammad Bux and Ali Nawaz aka Raja Khan Mahar to part ways with the PPP but they did not agree.

He said he and Ali Mohammad Mahar decided to contest from the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) platform for PS-20 Khangarh and NA-205 Ghotki, respectively.

The sardar criticised PPP’s Khalid Khan Loond for using objectionable words for the Mahar family, and said: “We can pay [him] in the same coin but this would be contrary to the norms taught by our elders”.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2018