Protesters demand governor’s resignation for suggesting new provinces

Activists of Sindhi nationalist parties and civil society groups on Thursday gathered outside the Karachi Press Club to show their anger at Governor Imran Ismail’s statement on the need for the creation of administrative units in Sindh and demanded that a resolution should be adopted in the Senate, and the provincial and national assemblies.Lyari’s known activist Habib Jan, Ilahi Bakhsh Bikik of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, literary personalities Zahida Hina and Noorul Huda Shah were prominent among them. They said that Imran Ismail should behave like a governor and should avoid trying to use such language. They also said that those who were conspiring against Sindh’s integrity would be doomed and termed the governor’s statement an attack on Pakistan.Meanwhile, in a statement, the Peoples Youth Organisation (PYO) demanded of Governor Imran Ismail to step down immediately due to his controversial statement about dividing Sindh into different administrative units.PYO Sindh Secretary General Shoaib Mirza said that an unnecessary conflict was being created between the people residing in the Sindh province, vowing that the PPP was committed to keeping the province united at any cost.Shoaib Mirza said that provinces, according to the Constitution of Pakistan, were integral units of the federation, and it was the prime responsibility of the governor to strengthen the federation rather than indulging in the politics of tussle and confrontation.PYO spokesperson Taimoor Ali Maher also said that anyone who tried to divide Sindh must be charged with treason under Article 6 of the Constitution.He said that the governor was following the mindset of an outlawed separatist political party, which could not be tolerated by the patriotic workers of the Peoples Party. In order to tackle the ongoing controversy, Maher demanded the resignation of the Governor on an immediate basis.The PPP’s youth wing further showed its displeasure over alleged attempts to transform the Governor House into “a propaganda cell to fulfil vested political interests”. The controversial statement by the governor was also being condemned widely by all political parties, it added.

from The News International - Karachi http://bit.ly/2Jcj0KD