KARACHI, Nov 30: Except for Karachi where a partial strike was observed, life across Sindh remained by and large paralysed yet peaceful which was no less than a referendum against the newly enacted local government system, claimed Pakistan Muslim League-Functional chief Pir Pagara and Sindh Bachayo Committee convener Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah on Friday.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Raja House in Defence, they expressed gratitude to the people of Sindh for their response to the strike call and said the strike was also observed against the Lahore High Court decision in favour of Kalabagh Dam construction.

Every person was prepared to lay down their life to resist construction of the dam, they said.

The SBC convener and the PML-F chief said the people also observed a black day against ‘misbehaviour with the daughters of Sindh by some PPP ministers’ during the Nov 15 session of the Sindh Assembly.

They condemned firing on a rally in Sanghar that left many people wounded and appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari to advise the PPP to refrain from using highhanded tactics otherwise no party could carry out its election campaign in Sindh.

Referring to a public meeting scheduled for Dec 14 in Hyderabad, Pir Pagara said that come what may the public meeting would be held according to the programme where a future strategy would be announced.

He said: “We are peace-loving people and do not like to fight against one another.” It was for this reason that he had asked his supporters not to react as it could create hurdles in the election process though his supporters had been attacked and wounded and FIRs had also been registered against them, he added.Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah said people had given their verdict against the uncivilised attitude of the government as there was a complete shutdown strike and public transport was also withdrawn from all the three highways — National Highway, Superhighway and Indus Highway.He said the advocate who had filed a petition pertaining to Kalabagh dam in the Lahore High Court belonged to the PPP. He alleged that the court was misguided by the government and the Sindh government also failed to present its misgivings properly before the court with the result that such a wrong judgment was handed down.

Referring to the delimitation issue, Mr Shah said the apex court ought to take notice of the remarks passed against the court.

In reply to a question, the SBC chief said that the next step of the drive against the black law would be announced in the public meeting in Hyderabad.

Others present at the press conference were Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, Pirzada Yasir Shah, Salim Zia, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Syed Zia Abbas, Rahila Tiwana, Syed Ghulam Shah, Marvi Rashdi, Irfanullah Marwat, Mazhar Rahujo, Aslam Gujjar, Gulzar Soomro, Shama Munshi, Riaz Chandio and Qamar Bhatti.