SUKKUR, April 23: The Pakistan Peoples Party started its protest movement against the referendum as the president, PPP, Sindh, Nisar Khoro addressed closed-door meetings in Jacobabad and Kandhkot on Tuesday in which a large number of Nazims, Naib Nazims, and councilors participated.

He said the statements of its ministers and directives to the government employees were evident of the desperation of the regime to ensure turnout in the referendum.

He said the Local Bodies were the institutions devoid of politics, the regime claimed. But now the regime is using them for its political agenda.

The Nazims, Naib Nazims, and the councillors were being forced to support the referendum.

He said the funds of the local government were being used for public meetings and to provide transport to the government employees to attend the same.

This act amounts to corruption and corrupt practices. The statement of information to the effect that Nazims and Naib Nazims had been provided a fixed target of voters was all the more condemnable.

He said the statement that no train would be allowed to depart from the stations till the passengers had cast their votes was also condemnable, and added that all this exposed the referendum as farce.

Meanwhile, the district bar association, Sukkur, decided to observe complete strike and boycott the courts on April 25 to launch a procession from the district bar to the National Press Club, Sukkur, condemning the act of Gen Musharraf for holding an unconstitutional referendum.

According to a press release issued by the Sukkur District Bar, the decision to launch protest movement was decided in an urgent meeting of the Bar, which was held on Tuesday.

AWAMI TEHRIK: At least 30 activists of the Awami Tehrik observed an eight-hour token hunger strike against the construction of the greater Thal canal on Tuesday in front of the National Press Club, Sukkur.