PTI, PPP all set to hold long marches against each other

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has finalised its long march against the federal government while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pulled socks up to hold its long march against the PPP-led Sindh government, turning the Sindh in the centre of national politics.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will start a long march from Ghotki to Karachi on Saturday. On the other hand, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will start a long march towards Islamabad from tomorrow (February 27).

The top leadership of both parties continues to criticise each other.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Karachi President and Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani had said that Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) had joined PTI Sindh to spread chaos. It wants to turn the leadership against the government.

Saeed Ghani had said that Pakistan People’s Party has completed all the preparations for the long march to oust Imran Khan’s government.

Criticising the Punjab government, he had said that 40,000 cases of abduction of girls from Punjab were reported in the last four years but the media only focused on the law and order situation in Karachi.

Earlier, the PPP had organised held a warm-up rally from Bilawal House to Mazar-e-Quaid in preparation for the long march on Sunday. Addressing the rally, participants said that the countdown of the elected government has begun.

Ali Zaidi says ‘PPP govt is afraid’

PTI Sindh President and Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi has said that the PPP government has been scared and worried since the PTI’s long march. He said that our long will be the last nail in the coffin of the corrupt government in Sindh.

Ali Zaidi said that the march starting from Ghotki would be led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Federal Minister Asad Umar. It will reach Karachi on March 6, passing through 27 districts.

‘Sindh stuck in two marches’

Political analysts say that the land of Sindh is currently stuck in two marches. The PPP wants to oust the federal government led by Imran Khan, whereas, the PTI wants to send the Sindh government led by PPP packing. Both political parties are aiming to overthrow each other’s government in their strongholds.

They said that outcomes of the long marches of PPP and PTI will be seen at the end of the power shows whether they manage to overthrow each other’s governments or not.

Analysts say that the sit-in plays a key role in giving any government a tough time or sending it home, however, the PTI and the PPP are holding a long march, but the leadership on both sides did not decide to turn their long marches into the sit-ins. They added that there are less chances of taking any political benefits from the long marches.