KARACHI, Sept 10: Former speaker of the National Assembly Illahi Bux Soomro on Tuesday announced his decision to join the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and contest election on its ticket from NA-208, his ancestral constituency.

Mr Soomro made the decision public at a press conference at Karachi Press Club where PML (Q) Sindh president Ghous Bux Mehar, Sahibzada Munir and Dr Rahimul Haque were also present.

Mr Soomro recalled the efforts of uniting the PML factions along with Waseem Sajjad and Sartaj Aziz and said that after failing to acheive the objective he was the last among his colleagues to join the PML (Q).

Responding to questions he said he had no knowledge of any development indicating postponement of the forthcoming elections.

He said in his constituency about ten candidates were in the field belonging to PPP, PML (N), MMA, MQM, PPP (SB) and independents. However, he was quite hopeful of his success.

Mr Soomro dispelled the impression that he had contacted the PPP for joining it and said that it was the PPP which had offered him not to field any candidate against him if he did not join the PML (Q).