Haleem Adil Sheikh Accuses PPP of Benefiting from Governor’s Rule, Criticises Zardari
LAHORE:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Haleem Adil Sheikh has accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of being a beneficiary of governor’s rule, alleging that the move would provide opportunities for financial gains through mining and government contracts.
Speaking on a private television programme, Sheikh claimed that Sindh had received Rs33 trillion over the past 18 years but had been severely mismanaged under the PPP’s rule. He alleged that the party would use the two-month period under governor’s rule to secure benefits through mining projects and contracts before leaving.
The PTI leader said negotiations had initially appeared positive and that significant progress could have been achieved if the parties had demonstrated greater flexibility. However, he accused PPP President Asif Ali Zardari of playing a role in derailing the process.
Sheikh said several government representatives, including Mohsin Naqvi, Rana Sanaullah and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, had appeared positive during the discussions. Nevertheless, he alleged that Zardari had taken steps that prevented a favourable outcome.
Criticising the PPP’s performance in Sindh, he said the party had been governing the province for 18 years and accused it of wasting public resources. He also alleged that the party stood to benefit financially from the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Referring to the committee formed in KP, Sheikh expressed concern that the process could be used to facilitate administrative and contractual arrangements rather than address the province’s problems.
The PTI leader welcomed Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s opposition to governor’s rule in KP, saying that his stance against what Sheikh described as an attack on the public mandate was appreciated.
He further claimed that the government had decided to impose governor’s rule despite an agreement concerning a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan and his transfer to Al-Shifa Hospital.
Sheikh said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s remarks had made it clear, in his view, that the real target was the government led by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi rather than terrorism.
He maintained that PTI had faced numerous challenges since April 10, 2022, but had not abandoned the public mandate. He asserted that governor’s rule and arrests would not eliminate the party and pledged that PTI would continue standing with the public while prioritising the safety of its workers.
Calling governor’s rule an insult to the people, Sheikh alleged that the PPP would gain financially from the arrangement. He also stressed that terrorism was a serious threat and said his party was prepared to join national efforts to combat it.
However, he reiterated that, in his assessment, the move against the KP government was politically motivated and aimed at Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI’s electoral mandate rather than solely at addressing the security situation.
The allegations reflect PTI’s position on the political developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The claims regarding the PPP’s financial interests and Asif Ali Zardari’s role were made by Sheikh during the television programme.
