Zulfikarabad city project Nationalists warn of strong reaction

[Salman]

Zulfikarabad city project Nationalists warn of strong reaction

SUKKUR, July 18: Hyder Shahani, acting chairman of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, has warned that the Zulfikarabad city project can lead to a Balochistan-like situation in Sindh.

Addressing the participants of a procession taken out by STP workers here on Wednesday, he said when the government announced the plan to develop Gwadar, youths of Balochistan opposed it, took up weapons and went to mountains. He warned the government of a similar situation in Sindh.

Mr Shahani said how could people of Sindh buy plots in the proposed city when most of them were not in a position even to feed their family. He said that instead of using its resources on Zulfikarabad, the government should focus on improving the condition of different towns in Sindh.

He accused the government of indulging in corruption in the name of development which, he said, would never be allowed.

He said his party had started a campaign against Zulfikarabad from Sukkur and rallies and protest demonstrations would be held in other towns of the province.

Meanwhile, activists of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz held demonstrations in various areas of Sindh to voice their concern over Zulfikarabad.

They said that mostly aliens would settle in the proposed city which would lead to a demographic imbalance in Sindh and accelerate the process of turning the indigenous people into a minority.

In Ghotki, a large number of party activists took out a procession which was led by its acting chairman Niaz Kalani.

Dr Kalani said that according to Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo, water of the Indus was being stolen by Punjab which could not be stopped.

He offered to the PPP government to join his party in a sit-in at the National Highway at the Sindh-Punjab border to tell Punjab that the theft of Sindh’s water would not be tolerated.

Similar demonstrations were held by JSQM workers in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and other cities and towns of the province.