By Moin ullah Shah
KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance Grand Democratic Alliance held an important consultative meeting in Karachi chaired by its chief Pir Pagara at Raja House, where detailed discussions were held on the political situation in Sindh and across the country, as well as key national and provincial issues.
The meeting was attended by Pir Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, Ayaz Latif Palijo, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Saira Bano, Sardar Abdul Rahim, Zain Shah and several other leaders including Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Syed Muhammad Rashid Shah, Syed Muhammad Ismail Shah, Muazzam Khan Abbasi, Hasnain Mirza, Nand Kumar Goklani and Syed Shafqat Shah.
The participants expressed serious concern over the growing use and smuggling of narcotics in Sindh. They said the provincial government was allegedly involved in the trade and had completely failed to curb drug trafficking, pushing the younger generation towards destruction. The meeting called for an indiscriminate operation against drug dealers and their alleged facilitators.
Discussing local government, the leaders said Sindh did not have a genuine empowered municipal system and that citizens were deprived of basic facilities due to the lack of authority at the grassroots level. They stressed the need for a strengthened local government system under Article 140-A of the Constitution.
The meeting also reviewed proposals related to administrative restructuring in Sindh, including the creation of new divisions and administrative units. The leaders said reforms in governance structures were necessary for better administration and public service delivery, but they rejected any idea of dividing Sindh in any form.
On federal institutional reforms and rightsizing, the participants said unnecessary government expenditure should be reduced to ensure better use of national resources, while fully protecting the rights of employees.
They also said corruption and the erosion of merit in the Public Service Commission were darkening the future of Sindh’s youth.
The strategic, economic and commercial importance of Karachi and Gwadar was also discussed in detail. The leaders said Karachi remained the economic lifeline of the country while Gwadar could become a major regional trade hub in the future, stressing the need to improve infrastructure, law and order and investment opportunities in both cities.
National security and strategic matters were also discussed. The leaders said all political forces must play a united role on issues of national security to effectively address the challenges facing the country.
At the end of the meeting, the alliance reaffirmed its commitment to continue its struggle for the rights of the people of Sindh, the supremacy of the constitution, democracy and the protection of provincial resources.
