KARACHI: Setting the tone for their election strategy, five major political parties joined hands on Friday with a pledge to bring an end to the “15-year rule of corruption and nepotism in Sindh”, in a thinly veiled reference to the Pakistan Peoples Party that had ruled the province for 15 consecutive years until August.

The resolve came from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Awami National Party (ANP), whose senior leaders gathered at the residence of ANP’s Shahi Syed on one-point agenda to bring down the PPP in the next elections.

The alliance is expected to make seat adjustments and “constituency-based” cooperation with each other in the Feb 8, 2024 general elections.

After their meeting, the leaders of the emerging alliance addressed a press conference and made it clear that despite their ideological differences and bitter past experiences, they decided to come on one platform to put the brakes on ambitions of the PPP.

“The people of Sindh, from Kashmore to Karachi, have suffered due to corruption and bad governance during the last 15 years,” said MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal.

“Karachi and other parts of Sindh have been ruined. The rule of corruption and nepotism has proved itself as disastrous and it’s time for the forces who want peace and prosperity in Sindh to join hands. We ask everyone who wants peace and prosperity of the province to come with us.”

PML-N provincial president Bashir Memon agreed with Mr Kamal and said that despite the share of 73 per cent in the national revenue, Sindh was lagging behind in every aspect of social and economic standards.

“Sindh contributes 73 per cent to national revenue, but here when people talk about better infrastructure, social security and better law and order they look towards Lahore and want their city to become like Lahore. It’s so unfortunate and irony. During last 15 years, Karachi and every single district of Sindh has moved backward instead of going forward. Now it’s time to go for a change and for that change this alliance is now here as alternative.”

Despite having “bitter experiences,” ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed was confident that their new partnership would prove sustainable and that’s why they had set long term goals instead of short-term targets.

“You may disagree with any of the parties present here today, but you would all agree that during last 15 years who is actually responsible for ruining Karachi and other parts of Sindh,” he said, adding: “If Karachi prospers, it gives a push to the economic development of the whole country.”

He said: “We all are here with one agenda that we need to restore the lost glory of Karachi and give people of Sindh a new hope whose basic rights have been violated during the past 15 years.”

Responding to a question, the leaders agreed that the parties in the alliance would mainly focus on seat adjustments depending on the position of the parties in different constituencies.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023