Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday took notice of former Sindh home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal’s controversial remarks in the Sindh Assembly the other day.

According to a statement, Bilawal reprimanded Siyal and expressed annoyance over his Thursday’s speech in the Sindh Assembly.

“The PPP can’t ignore irresponsible remarks of former home minister.” PPP leader Siyal on Thursday heavily criticised the opposition party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), for allegedly playing the ethnic card. During his speech in the Sindh Assembly, the PPP MPA said that those who were given an asylum in Sindh after the 1947 partition and were provided land, food and water were speaking against the province’s interest, which was unacceptable.

Separately, Bilawal paid a glowing tribute to Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) martyrs on their 35th martyrdom anniversary being observed today. Bilawal specially paid homage to 16 MRD martyrs from Punhal Chandio village of Shaheed Benazirabad division. In his message, the PPP chairman said that MRD’s was a very tough and nerve-wracking political struggle wherein the masses participated from across the country and fought for restoration of democracy and basic human rights under the leadership of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Bilawal said that the nation was indebted to 16 martyrs of Punhal Chandio village, who sacrificed their lives for the people’s right to rule themselves and against the dictatorship of Gen Zia.

He saluted all martyrs and those PPP leaders and workers who endured torture and imprisonment with steadfastness, commitment and loyalty and pledged that their mission would be carried on for the accomplishment of peace, progress and prosperity in the country.

It may be recalled that 16 PPP workers were martyred during the MRD movement on September 29, 1983 in Shaheed Benazirabad.

In another statement on the eve of World Heart Day, the PPP chairman said that provision of top quality healthcare was the PPP government’s top agenda.

He said that the Sindh government had opened a number of institutes of cardiovascular diseases in many districts of the province, which were catering to the needs of all and sundry free of cost.

He said that the PPP had formulated a detailed programme to revolutionise the health sector in the province. Bilawal further said that the Sindh government had so far opened eight satellite centres of cardiovascular diseases in Larkana, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Sehwan, Mithi, Khairpur and Nawabshah. The day is celebrated every year on September 29.

Published in Daily Times, September 29^th 2018.