People's power to reign supreme in general polls: Murad

KARACHI: In this election year, the people’s power will reign supreme as the future of Pakistan lies in democracy, said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday.

Addressing a press conference outside the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah after offering Fateha there with Governor Mohammad Zubair and other senior officials on the occasion of Pakistan Day, Shah urged Sindh’s citizens to participate in the elections process and elect their true representatives, in particular, those who have served them and who had upheld their rights.

“We have to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions. This is the demand of Pakistan Day,” he said. According to the CM, the youth had played a vital role in the struggle for an independent Pakistan and now, young people must too play their due role to strengthen democracy. “Our youth are our future and they have to play their role for the development and prosperity of the country,” he said.

Shah added that the spirit and unity of March 23, 1940, was unprecedented, and now time has come again to demonstrate the same kind of spirit and unity to steer the country out of the various challenges it is facing.

March 23, 1940, was a historic day on which Pakistan Resolution was passed. The resolution set a direction that led to the creation of Pakistan and ultimately the goal was achieved with an organised struggle led by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, said Shah.

Speaking about the various challenges Pakistan has faced since independence, the CM said that the emergence of terrorism was the worst one yet. “The nation stood against terrorists bravely and demonstrated unprecedented spirit of unity, and finally defeated them,” he added. “This unity means the revival of the same spirit that was demonstrated on March 23, 1940.”

‘PPP served citizens’

Replying to a question, the chief minister said that the revival of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an alliance of religious political parties, is a good omen. “At the time of general elections such kind of political alliances of like-minded parties are made as this is their democratic right,” he said.

In response to another question, Shah said that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party had served the people of Sindh. “We have reconstructed road infrastructure in Karachi and all over the province, while the Sindh government also has the honour of constructing bridges on the Indus River,” he said.