Mirza hits out at nationalists | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Mirza hits out at nationalists

By Mohammad Hussain Khan

HYDERABAD: Former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza has said the PPP is neither leaving behind a good legacy nor an energised party for Bilawal Bhutto.

Speaking at a news conference here on Tuesday, he accused the late G. M. Syed, the founder of Jeay Sindh Tehrik, of using his influence with Gen Ziaul Haq for securing a pilot’s job for his grandson.

Wearing Sindhi cap and swearing on Holy Quran, he spoke like a Sindhi nationalist and attacked the MQM and Urdu-speaking people, but never uttered a single world against President Asif Ali Zardari.

In an indirect reference to nationalists, he said that he would not allow anyone to take leverage of the present situation.

He particularly referred to Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, the grandson of G. M. Syed and president of the Sindh United Party, by saying that he should come forward and disclose how he made money and built a bungalow.

He said that he had respect for G. M. Syed and claimed that Syed was beaten in election by uncle through rigging.

“When G. M. Syed was ill and hospitalised, Gen Zia visited him. Zia asked him “do you want anything from me” and what Syed demanded was a petty job of pilot for his grandson,” he said.

Dr Mirza said back issues of newspapers would attest to the “truth of my claim”. He accused the MQM of working in league with Uncle Sam, an obvious reference to the USA, to facilitate it in usurping resources of the Muslim world.

“The media has reported that several Nato tankers carrying arms and ammunitions have gone missing. Babar Ghauri was ports and shipping minister when it happened,” he said.

Dr Mirza came to the press club as the head of a big rally from Qasimabad taluka, the stronghold of the PPP in Hyderabad, and many PPP loyalists, including Shahid Ansari and Mehboob Abro, accompanied him.

“It was my dream that when Bilawal Bhutto takes over the PPP it should be more energised but I think I am not succeeding in that task and I don’t see that the PPP is leaving behind a good legacy,” he said.

He said that his only fault was that he wanted to tighten the screws on those who were spending money in London’s casinos.

“I know who contacted army through Makhdooms and came out of jails and also those who left Pakistan. I faced trial and tribulations on my own.

“The army and people should put all their queries to Altaf Hussain for what I stated with reference to my meeting in presence of Pir Mazharul Haq. Senate Chairman Farooq Naek will testify how Benazir Bhutto used to treat Rehman Malik,” he said.

“Malik is a nobody in the PPP and he should have been thrown into a dustbin,” Dr Mirza said. He said that he did not know the name of MalikÂ’s father.

The former provincial home minister said that Uncle Sam and foreign powers were behind hanging of the late Bhutto, alleging that they trapped Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan, a decision which led to her killing. These powers need men who could help them grab Muslim world’s resources.

“They need men who are ready to sell their country. That’s why they (perhaps an obvious reference to the MQM) write letters to a foreign country to get the ISI and they will make their task easier,” he said.

“Containers bound for Afghanistan carrying arms and ammunition disappeared during the period when the portfolio of ports and shopping was held by Babar Ghauri, who rose to become a real estate tycoon from a Haleem seller,” he said.

He charged that these forces knew that they could not defeat the sons of soil with 15,000 rocket launchers, 150,000 Kalashnikov and anti-tank missiles.

“Thus Uncle Sam will bring a new consignment of nuclear bomb, neutron bomb and scud missiles. They will have to bomb each district of Sindh. This can’t happen in present regime and they need time, may be in the next government,” he said.

“The MQM wants to convert Sindhis into Red Indians and enslave them. I am not prepared to cleanse toilet of Adil Siddiqui and I can’t even imagine seeing next generation of Asif Zardari, a man of principles, to be caged.

“We are not hens nor are we slaves. We are real rulers though oppressed, he said.

Zulfikar Mirza sounded a warning to those who cast an evil eye on Sindhis or try to usurp their rights. “I will cut those hands.

It’s my declaration of defiance against them,” he said.

He expressed hope that all conscientious people would support him to translate the dream of Benazir Bhutto, Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto into a reality.

He said that when the Sindh Assembly adopted resolution for Pakistan there was no Nawab or men from Junagarh or Lukhnow. He said that Altaf Hussain did not have the right to decide Sindh’s fate.

“Sindh will take care of Pakistan,” he said. “Sindh gave birth to Pakistan. I am not thankful to Urdu-speaking people. I am grateful to my elders like Sir Hidayatullah, Ayub Khuhro, Abdullah Haroon and others who struggled in Sindh for Pakistan.

“Our elders were not beggars or believed in body bags. They were managing their farms and were happy.

“Hatred was brought after some selfish people arrived in Pakistan following premiership of Liaquat Ali Khan,” he said.

Armed supporters of Dr Mirza manhandled and injured a TV reporter, Farhan Effendi, during the press conference. The situation went out of control when supporters trained their sophisticated weapons at journalists covering the press conference.

It all happened when Mr Effendi posed a question to the former home minister with reference to a point raised by him in his opening remarks.

Dr Mirza, however, without allowing him to complete his query lost his cool and branded him as an agent of some party.

“Leave this place. You are distracting me and I will not reply to your query. Don’t misquote me,” he said. His anger emboldened his supporters to beat Effendi, injuring his tooth. Blood started oozing from his mouth.

Later, Dr Mirza apologised to Mr Effendi.
Source: Dawn
Date:8/31/2011