MIRPURKHAS - PPPP President Asif Ali Zardari, criticising the PML-N government, on Friday said the country was facing different kinds of crises owing to inefficient Nawaz Sharif and his government.

He was speaking at a big public meeting here at Gama Stadium, Mirpurkhas, which was attended by a large number of people amid strict security arrangements. He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the country’s nuclear programme. He added had Zulfikar Ali Bhutto not been assassinated, there would not have been any crisis in Pakistan at this time.

Zardari stated Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was today alive in the hearts of the masses as he had given awareness to the masses.

On the occasion of his 90th birth anniversary, Zardari said he was not Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but was taking his vision forward. He claimed his government in Sindh had completed many development schemes for the poor.

He averred PPP was the party of poor and down-trodden people and was raising voice for the rights of labourers, peasants and low-paid government employees. He said the Sindh government was setting up a power plant and constructing an airport in district Tharparkar. He further said only PPP could steer the country out of the current crises.

He lamented PPP kept on demanding appointment of a foreign minister during the last four years, but the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif paid no attention to it. The incumbent foreign minister recently appointed by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi speaks English in Punjabi tone, he remarked. He predicted Syed Murad Ali Shah will also be the Sindh chief minister after the coming general elections. He said the souls of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto are always with them for their inspiration.

Speaking on this occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that on the directives of Asif Ali Zardari, his government had spread a net of development works in the whole province. He reiterated the federal government was responsible for the present sugarcane crisis because he kept on urging the prime minister to grant permission for sugar export, but to no avail. He claimed PPP would win the coming elections and overcome all the crises the country was facing. On the demand of Senator Hari Ram Kishori Lal, the chief minister announced to construct an overhead bridge and run NICVD Hospital and tube-wells on solar energy.

Earlier, PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Senator Hari Ram Kishori Lal, ex-chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, district president and MNA Mir Munawar Ali Khan Talpur, Syed Zulfikar Ali Shah, Provincial Minister Imdad Pitafi, Manzoor Wassan and others also spoke.

MNA Nawab Yousuf Talpur, Faisal Saleh Hayat, ex-MNA Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Syed Ali Mardan Shah, Engineer Gianchand, Senator Aajiz Dhamra, MNA Shazia Atta Marri, MPA Rais Noor Ahmed Bhurgari, ex-MPA Shamim Aara Panhwer, MPA Khair-un-Nisa Mughal, MPA Nusrat Sultana Khawaja, Robina Qaimkhani, District Council Mirpurkhas chairman Mir Anwer Ali Khan Talpur, Azmina Nazeer Chandio, Junaid Buland, Liaqat Shahani and PPP Sindh cultural wing general secretary were also present. Thousands of people were standing outside Gama Stadium to listen to the speeches of their leaders.

Earlier, Asif Ali Zardari met different delegations and notables at the residence of Senator Seth Hari Ram Kishori Lal. He also chaired meetings of PPP lawmakers and office bearers to discuss future strategy for the coming elections.