PRM criticises government role on crises

The People's Rights Movement (PRM) on Sunday sought ending army role in politics and held the present government responsible for mishandling crisis like situations in Karachi, Balochistan, Waziristan and even in Islamabad.
At an open corner meeting at the Aabpara Chowk held under the auspices of the PRM, a score of students, intellectuals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, workers and ordinary citizens participated in it, demanding the government to bar army from interfering political and administrative affairs.
The PRM activists also bitterly criticised the annual budget, saying that it exposed the so-called slogans of pro-poor and relief-oriented budget.
Speaking on the occasion, Asim Sajjad of PRM said that the shameful events of the past week following torrential winds and rains in Karachi and the coast areas of Balochistan have exposed the complete failure of the state functionaries to fulfil its most important function of protecting the lives of its citizens.
He said that neither adequate precautionary measures taken to prevent death and destruction nor did the government respond timely following devastation. He said that there is no solution to the many and growing crises in society than to institute a democratic political process in the country so that decisions over allocation of resources and the very priorities of the people can be decided by people themselves.
Jehangir Akhtar said that without banishing military from politics, there would be less chance to establish a real and genuine people's democracy in the country. He also said that due to absence of real democracy in the country, the interests of landlords, industrialists and pro-military religious forces are being protected.
He said that all Pakistanis are disgusted over the ongoing bombing on Waziristan by Nato and US forces, which constitutes a complete surrender of sovereignty by the government. He said that until and unless the military's monopoly over public resources is ended, there can be no progress for the Pakistani people.
Other speakers also expressed solidarity with the lawyers' movement and urged ordinary working people to join the struggle. They also bitterly criticised the ongoing Jamia Hafsa/Lal Masjid issue and asked the government to maintain its writ.