Nawaz makes inroads into PPP powerbase

Sindh National Front (SNF) Chairman Mumtaz Bhutto Wednesday announced merging his party with the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N). Addressing a rally at Mirpur Bhutto in Larkana district, Bhutto said Nawaz Sharif’s view point was closer to that of him. “Now, we are members of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz and will continue our struggle from the new platform,” he added. Mumtaz Bhutto, a senior political leader who was nicknamed as talented cousin by the PPP founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, said President Asif Ali Zardari was not eligible for holding any public office, adding that the incumbent rulers did not know anything except how to loot the country. Mumtaz noted that he was labelled as a Sindhi nationalist contrary to the fact that he was a strong supporter of federation. He said the federating units were still deprived of their rights despite the passage of 18th Amendment. Criticising the PPP over its policies and failures, he said the ruling party did nothing to arrest the killer of late Benazir Bhutto. In his speech, Nawaz held President Asif Ali Zardari for Prime Minister Gilani’s actions resulting in violating the Supreme Court orders. “Gilani is a convicted prime minister. He should not hold the office any more, as he is now violating the court orders and Zardari is responsible for the situation.” A convicted person could not serve as prime minister of any country in the world, he added. Nawaz said Zardari exploited the mandate given by the people after Benazir Bhutto’s martyrdom, adding that Zardari was unfaithful to the people of Sindh and had pushed the country to the edge of destruction, adding that the government’s policies were a threat to democracy. He said the PPP and Zardari cashed the assassination of Benazir Bhutto but did nothing to address the miseries of people, while the people suspected of Benazir Bhutto’s murder had gathered around President Zardari. Nawaz vowed to bring the killers of Benazir Bhutto to justice. “People of Sindh are facing poverty, joblessness, loadshedding and worst law and order situation, but the issues have not been addressed by the PPP even after the passage of five years,” he added. He said the PPP had violated ‘Charter of Democracy’ which was signed by the slain leader of the party. The PML-N chief said the government did not exist when floods wreaked havoc in Sindh and destroyed properties of millions of people. “People of Sindh know that the PML-N had successfully eliminated poverty from Sindh through various developmental schemes, and we can repeat the same if provided the chance of serving the people again. We will make Pakistan an Asian Tiger and there will be laptops in hands of students instead of weapons,” Nawaz promised. Sharif said the life of a common man had been made miserable by the bad governance of the current government, but the PPP leaders were enjoying the benefits of ruling without showing any concern for the countrymen. He welcomed Mumtaz Bhutto into his party’s ranks and said they would work together for the uplift of Pakistan. In an attempt to expand the influence of PML-N in Sindh, a PPP stronghold, Nawaz is also scheduled to hold meetings with some other Sindhi nationalist leaders.