TLP chief Saad Rizvi spreads his arms during a public meeting at Bagh-i-Jinnah on Sunday.—Shakil Adil / White Star

       KARACHI: Calling the upcoming polls ‘a fixed match,’ the Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Sunday asked Karachiites to reject those who had divided the city on ethnic lines as well as those who ruined it ‘in the name of democracy’.

       The TLP staged a power show at Karachi’s Bagh-i-Jinnah. A large number of its workers and supporters attended the event which was addressed by their chief Saad Rizvi.

       Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rizvi criticised all three parties of the past ruling alliance — the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan — for ‘playing with the people’s dreams’ for their vested political interests.

       He said that the rulers in the past and their allies had never owned Karachi and only used its resources for building their personal wealth.

       He said the TLP would emerge with Karachi mandate in Feb 8 general election as the candidates of his party were among the people of this city who had served them even without any mandate. He also referred to ‘looting and plundering’ by the PPP, calling the party real enemy of democracy.

       “On Feb 8, when you go to vote, remember all that looting and plundering and mind that if you lose this opportunity, that era would return for another five years,” added Mr Rizvi.

       Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2024