LARKANA: Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Larkana Awami Ittehad (LAI) and JSM-R leaders addressing a big public meeting on Royal Road here on Friday night threw challenge to Pakistan Peoples Party that it could not win the local government elections without using government machinery.

GDA general secretary Dr Safdar Abbasi, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl JUI-F Sindh general secretary Rashid Mehmood Soomro, MPA Moazzim Abbsi, Jeay Sindh Mahahz-R chairman Riaz Chandio and a host of other leaders addressed the power show and termed it their victory.

They lashed out at the controversial LG law which suited the ruling party and deplored that ignoring Supreme Court’s relevant order, the Sindh government imposed it. This spoke of the ruling party’s intentions, they said.

They accused PPP of harassing and issuing threats to candidates and supporters of GDA, LAI and other component parties, and reminded PPP leadership that even after killings of Bashir Khan and Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, PPP’s opponents kept pursuing the path of truth.

They deplored “unfair” distribution of irrigation water in the province, saying that influential figures and those sitting in government were comfortably getting adequate water while poor farmers’ lands were turning barren.

They talked about “poor” performance of healthcare system and deteriorating education sector, and said people were left at the mercy of local PPP leaders.

They said this ‘political mafia’ was out to bring its opponents under threat but they stood firm and would survive all odds.

They expressed their full confidence that people of Larkana would write history again in the LG polls, and said MPA Moazzim Abbasi was the future of Sindh. PPP would suffer a humiliating defeat if the election appeared transparent. They said that assassination of Benazir Bhutto, PPP was facing a crisis of leadership as the existing party was a “fake PPP”.

They asked the district administration and police to be cautious as PPP and its affiliated candidates were plotting to spoil peace.

Adnan Altaf Unnar, Nasir Mehmood Soomro, Sardar Zaffar Sangi, Sheeba Mughal, Dr Mazhar Mughal and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2022