18 February 2004	Wednesday	26 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 17: The president of the Pakistan People's Party, Sindh chapter, Nisar Khuhro, on Tuesday criticized the provincial government's decision to divide the Larkana district, the home constituency of Benazir Bhutto.

Speaking at a news conference in the Sindh Assembly chamber, the leader of the opposition alleged that the move was aimed at promoting "lotacracy" in the country and damaging the PPP.

Mr Khuhro, who earlier in the day filed a petition with the Sindh High Court about the division of the Larkana district, was accompanied by his lawyer, Nafees Siddiqui.

He observed that the decision to create a new district in Larkana was aimed at rewarding the PPP defector, Shabbir Ahmad Chandio, who had joined the Patriot Group of the ruling coalition.

Mr Khuhro alleged that the move followed a recent meeting between the Sindh chief minister and the district president of the PPP in Larkana during which the latter had been told that if he and others joined the ruling coalition they would be rewarded by creating a new district in Larkana.

He recalled that the annoucement about the division of the Larkana district had been made shortly after the visit of the chief minister. Mr Khuhro said the Hyderabad and Dadu districts were much bigger than Larkana - in terms of population, area and size of constituencies of the National and Provincial assemblies.

"But the government's decision to target the Larkana district was nothing but a reward for the outgoing district president of the PPP who defected and joined the Patriot Group to damage his parent political party," he explained.

He said the government had made no effort to find out what public opinion was about the division of the Larkana district. He added that elected members of the National Assembly and the Provincial Assembly were not consulted by the government.

He added that the move would adversely affect the rights and interests of the people, as well as the elected representatives, living in the area.