This is apropos a Business Recorder op-ed “Après Gujranwala, Karachi” carried by the newspaper on Tuesday. The writer, Rashed Rahman, has presented a highly objective perspective on the current political situation in the country. He has argued, among other things, that “The Karachi rally was obviously bigger than Gujranwala, but this was to be expected. Karachi’s size, the mobilisation of the PPP’s jiyala support base throughout Sindh, where it is in office, and the coinciding of the PDM rally with the PPP’s commemoration of the Karsaaz attacks on Benazir Bhutto’s cavalcade on October 18, 2007 on her return from exile ensured both the enthusiasm and turnout would be huge.”
No doubt it was a highly impressive PDM show in Karachi in terms of its size. In my view, all the speakers at the Karachi rally made remarks aimed at stepping up pressure on a seemingly beleaguered government. Unfortunately, however, one of the senior politicians, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chose this occasion to express his “contempt” towards the national language, Urdu. His remarks have generated a considerable controversy in Karachi and elsewhere. Through this letter I wish to convey to honorable Achakzai sahib that whatever he said about the national language has not contributed to the greater cause of opposition or anti-government drive at all.
KHALID FAZL (KARACHI)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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