KARACHI: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday announced that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to launch an agitation drive against the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Act 2021.
“As a part of its protest drive, the PTI will take out a rally from Ghotki to Karachi on Feb 26 in which the central leadership of the ruling party will participate as well”, the minister said while addressing a press conference along with Maritime Minister Ali Zaidi and other party leaders in Karachi.
The planning minister pointed out that the Sindh local government law was in contrast to Article 140 of the constitution. He said as per Article 140, the Karachi local government is supposed to be autonomous.
Asad Umar further said the people in Sindh had been suffering under the PPP rule for 13 years as they had been “deprived of basic rights” of health and education. “This is impossible in 2023 to let these robbers rule the province,” he added.
Speaking about the PTI Sindh’s meeting today, the minister said the sole purpose of this gathering was to launch a campaign to oust the PPP government in a coordinated manner. Umar stressed the need to increase contact with the people. He also urged corner meetings across Sindh.
He further stated that to provide water to the residents of Karachi, the federal government will give approval to the K-IV project on Tuesday after which the work on the project will kick-off.
Speaking on the occasion, Maritime Minister Ali Zaidi said that the PTI was now spearheading efforts for economic revival of the province, especially Karachi, and for that, “the expulsion of Asif Ali Zardari from power is imperative”.
Zaidi said the port city will not flourish till the PPP was in power. “The expulsion of dacoit, which is Asif Ali Zardari, is inevitable now for Karachi to rebuild and Pakistan to prosper,” he added.
He fired a broadside at the PPP government in Sindh, saying it always ran away from accountability “and that is the reason it did not nominate a single member from the opposition to the Public Accounts Committee.”
Zaidi claimed his party would dethrone the PPP in the next general elections, saying “our ascension to power is inevitable given the dismal performance of the PPP-led government in Sindh for years.”
