Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal has expressed confidence in the party forming the next government in Sindh as well as making the federal administration after the 2023 general elections.
The former Karachi mayor was addressing a convention organised at Nishtar Park on Thursday to celebrate the first anniversary of the PSP. “In just one year we have become a national party, with members belonging to different parts of the country and from diverse ethnic and lingual backgrounds, which proves the PSP’s popularity.”
Kamal also announced launching a campaign on April 6 to protest against the authorities depriving the people of Karachi of their basic needs and rights.
He told his party’s fledgling rank and file to begin campaigning for the 2018 general elections by setting up election offices, short-listing potential candidates for party tickets and familiarising themselves with the problems of the local communities.
The celebrations started with national songs, as the PSP’s anniversary coincides with Pakistan Day. “We formally launched our party on March 23 last year,” said Kamal, “as we wanted to unite all Pakistanis on one platform and chose the day when the Pakistan resolution was passed.”
Kamal added: “Today was the day that set things in motion for creating Pakistan. We got this country with the two-nation theory. And now, for the survival of the country, a one-nation theory is the dire need of the hour.”
He was critical of the authorities not paying heed to the PSP’s demands that were made during the party’s January 29 rally at Nishtar Park, and made the announcement for the protest campaign to be launched on April 6. He demanded that “our basic needs and rights should immediately be met or else we shall take to the streets”.
He stressed that not only Sindh but all the local governments of the country should be empowered in accordance with Article 140A of the Constitution. “The menace of terrorism cannot be ended if the children remain out of schools and if there are no health facilities for the common people,” he said, and questioned both the federal and provincial governments that where were the Rs900 billion allocated for Karachi spent, as “there seems to be no development in the city”.
“The city is without potable water. Hundreds of thousands of children die in a year due to lack of nutrition. The country will never prosper and flourish until we have ethnic conflicts. We need to rise above all the negative perceptions.”
Kamal said the basic contention was that the powers were not devolved to the local tiers to ensure the rights of the people.
Accompanied by PSP leaders Anis Qaimkhani, Waseem Aftab, Advocate Anees Asif Hasnain and others, he said: “We don’t believe in traditional politics and have come to do away with sadness. Our party is fighting for the rights of the people.”
He said peace in Karachi was critical to the future of Pakistan. “The entire metropolis has turned into a garbage dump. The education system has been destroyed. Karachi that used to lead other cities now lags far behind other parts of the country. I want to bring an end to the sufferings of the people of Karachi and need their support and cooperation for it.”
He added that those making tall claims that the city would not accept any other leaders were now in hiding and their offices were sealed.
“The people have expressed complete confidence in us. In the years ahead they will see that we shall run the affairs of the government both in the province and the Centre.”
The PSP chief rubbished the claims that he was supported by the establishment.
“I am a man of God’s establishment.”
He asked the party’s supporters to get ready. “April 6 is the deadline given to the government. No one can stop us. We shall protest for our rights while remaining within the ambit of the Constitution. We shall turn Karachi into a role model for other cities. No one can dictate us. We have made a stand for the rights of the people of Karachi, and then we shall do the same for other cities.”
Pak Sarzameen Party 