Mumtaz advocates confederal system

KARACHI - Chairman Sindh National Front (SNF), Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, has stressed the need for immediate implementation of a confederal system in which historical geographical entities were given autonomy and said that it was the only way to pull back the country from the brink of total destruction.
It seems, he said, that provinces had gone out of the control of the centre and situation has reached such a stage where provinces could formally announce their independence.
Addressing a ‘Meet the Press Programme’ at the Karachi Press Club here on Wednesday, he painted a gloomy picture of prevailing situation in the country and said that leaders of Balochistan had time and again declared that the province was not part of Pakistan. Even hoisting Pakistani flag and singing national anthem in some parts of Balochistan had been banned by some alienated leaders.
In Sindh, he continued, writ of the government has become misnomer and ‘might is right’ rule is prevalent in the province.
“Dacoities, robberies, have become order of the day in Karachi while parts in the interior of the province have turned into no man’s land where bandits rule after the sunset”, he added.
He further said the situation was not any different in the NWFP where an army operation had been launched to get back the control of the province from militant tribal leaders.
Commenting on the prevalent situation in Punjab, Mumtaz Bhutto said that Punjab had already challenged the Centre on March 15 and defeated its might through long march and forced the centre to accept its demands.
Responding to a query about water dispute among the provinces, the SNF chief said that a few days back, President Asif Zardari had ordered the closure of Taunsa-Panjnad link canal.