KARACHI: Setting the tone for its campaign for the general elections, the Mut t ahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Sunday chose the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which has just completed about 15 years ofruleinSindh,asits key target.

The MQM-P leadership accused the PPP of corruption, loot and plunder using the 18th Constitutional Amendment as a cover.

The strongly-worded statement from MQM-P leaders came at its big power show in Gemeran Ground in Orangi Town.

A large number of people, including women and children, attended the public meeting. Waving party flags and dancing to the tunes of party songs, a large number of workers and supporters had arrived at the venue hours before the proceedings were to commence.Addressing the crowd, senior MQM-P leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi described Orangi Town as `mini Pakistan` and said it were the people of this densely populated neighbourhood who offered great sacrifices and migrated twice for the survival of Pakistan.

He paid tributes to the people of Orangi Town who, he said, had always rejected oppressors and welcomed democratic forces.

`If a census with true intentions is carried out, you would not find population of Orangi Town fewer than three million,` he said, adding: `We are here only to give the message that people of Orangi Town and entire Karachi are with MQM-Pakistan and it`s a history of our party that it has always contributed the most to this town as well as all other low-income neighbourhoods of Karachi.

He recalled the development projects under the local government rule of the party when Orangi Town was connected with therest of the city through roads, bridges and underpasses. That era of development, he pledged, would return when the MQM-P would come to power after the next elections.

Former Karachi mayor and senior party leader Mustafa Kamal shared his experience of city administration when he personally took interest in the approval of development projects for Orangi Town and executed them in record time.

`When we were running the city government, this city was counted among the 12 fastest developing cities of the world,` he said, and regretted that during the past 15 years, this city only witnessed loot, plunder and corruption. Now this city is among the four worst metropolitans of the world.

He accused the PPP of bringing Karachi to the verge of total collapse as, in the name of devolution of powers, that party had only abused the city`s potential and financial resources.

`The PPP has struck down every single power and authority of local government system in the name of the 18th A mendment,` said Mr Kamal.

`The PPP has brought all resources, powers and authority under its chief minister. The chief minister, on the other hand, collected funds worth Rs22 trillion in the name of provincial autonomy, but never spent a single penny on its development. These financial resources are used only to build properties in Dubai.

He also accused the PPP of maneuvering to keep the Karachi population at the lowest possible side only to seize its rights. `But let me declare very loud and clear that this system would no more work,` he declared before the roaring crowd.

`The PPP has only excelled in corruption and nepotism, but now the people of Sindh and the rest of Pakistan can no longer be fooled. We would fight them out at all democratic forums and resist with all due rights provided by the Constitution. The end of this rule of corruption and injustice is very close.