KARACHI, April 29: Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro has thanked the people of Karachi for their warm welcome to President General Pervez Musharraf, particularly for their massive participation in the president’s public meeting in the city on Sunday.

He expressed the hope that the people of Sindh would demonstrate the same enthusiasm in the April 30 referendum.

He said this while talking to delegations of the Sunni Tehreek and the Tehreek-i-Jaferia, which separately called on him in the Governor’s House, led by Maulana Abbas Qadri and Allama Hasan Turabi, respectively.

Describing the Sunday’s public meeting as having unprecedented turnout, they appreciated the efforts made by the governor.

Mr Soomro said, in fact, it were the people of Karachi who deserved the real felicitations for showing solidarity and announcing their support for President Musharraf.

The delegations announced their full support for the president in the referendum, saying they would support him for elimination of terrorism, security of Pakistan and promotion of peace. Under the present circumstances, they said, the country needed the leadership of persons like Pervez Musharraf.

Talking to the delegation of the Sunni Tehreek, the governor said all possible steps would be taken for preservation of sanctity of shrines. He issued instructions to police and the Auqaf department in this regard.

Speaking to the delegation of the Tehreek-i-Jaferia, he said the government was making all efforts to eliminate terrorism.

He said patrons of terrorists were also being identified so that the menace could be eliminated.

Those present at the meetings were provincial minister Maulana Mohammed Wali Razi, the IG Police, provincial secretary religious affairs, home secretary and other government officials.—APP