Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has said that as a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) worker, he does not believe in banning any political party.
He issued this statement while addressing a press conference at the railway ground near Kala Pul on Friday. He was responding to a question regarding the proposal to ban Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to its violent protest campaign.
However, he said PTI is synonymous with the word ‘anarchy’. He said that the founder of PTI lacks the qualifications of a politician. Ghani said that everyone has the right to protest peacefully, adding that chaos, terrorism or lawlessness should not be allowed under the guise of agitation.
He said that PTI had marched towards Islamabad to spread lawlessness and terror in the federal capital. He further said that the right to protest should be exercised within the ambit of the law so that the rights of others are not violated.
In response to a question, Ghani, who is also the Karachi President of the People’s Party, said that there is a provision in the constitution to impose Governor’s rule in the province. He also admitted that the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not satisfactory.
However, he stressed that Governor’s rule should be imposed only in extreme circumstances. He said that government resources and machinery available with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government were used to attack Islamabad during the PTI’s recent protest call.
To another question, the Local Government Minister said that Imran Khan, the founder of PTI, has become a relic of the past and he does not see any role of PTI in the future politics of the country. He said that despite PTI’s misbehavior, Khan kept getting unnecessary relief from the courts.
In response to a question regarding the relationship of the People’s Party with the federal government, Ghani said that the People’s Party has serious reservations on some issues related to the federal government and the Sindh government of the People’s Party has been raising them at every forum.
He said that the Sindh Assembly has passed a resolution against the proposal to build six new canals on the Indus River and the People’s Party will oppose such an anti-Sindh initiative. Local Government Minister said that the Sindh government is using every constitutional and legal option to protect the interests of the province and its people.
He told the media representatives that rallies will be held in 150 districts across Pakistan on the occasion of the 57th foundation day of the People’s Party on (today) Saturday. The public rally in Karachi will be held at the Railway Ground near Kala Pul.
He said that People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address these meetings simultaneously through video link. Central and provincial leadership of People’s Party will also address these gatherings.
The Local Government Minister said that this will be the first time that a political party will hold its meeting at the railway ground in Karachi.
He told the journalists that in the last 57 years, the People’s Party had to face such difficulties that no other political party could bear. He said that the followers of People’s Party have also suffered great atrocities.
Ghani said that the People’s Party fought against the military dictators in the past according to its ideology. He further said that no other political party or its leadership can match the political wisdom possessed by PPP.
He said that due to the struggle of People’s Party, which is working as a nursery in the politics of Pakistan, the pro-people politics is going on in the country. Ghani also claimed that the developmental works and achievements during the PPP regime were unprecedented in the history of Pakistani politics. He said that the People’s Party has now emerged as a strong political entity with deep ties with the people.