KARACHI, July 1: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, Sindh chapter, questioned on Thursday the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's claim of protecting the rights of the people of Karachi and accused the MQM of being responsible for the overall deteriorating law and order situation in the city.

A meeting of the alliance, held at the residence of Nisar Khuhro, the ARD's provincial president, also slammed the government over target killings and its failure to arrest the culprits, besides the rising cost of living, unemployment and rising incidence of suicide.

The meeting rejected the provincial budget and the rise in power tariff and POL products' prices and decided to issue a white paper on the government's alleged failure.

It was also decided that in the central leadership's meeting to be held on July 5 in Lahore, endorsement of its future strategies, especially with regard to increasing pressure on the government before the change of 'interim' prime minister, would be sought.

The meeting also deliberated on ways and means of accelerating the movement against the government and also demanded return of Ms Benazir Bhutto, Mian Nawaz Sharif, besides release of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Asif Ali Zardari.

The ARD meeting also discussed the possibility of organizing protest rallies and meetings as part of its mass mobilisation campaign, besides the possibility of giving a countrywide strike call. Those who attended the meeting included Zain Ansari, Rashid Rabbani, Muzaffar Shujra, Sardar Rahim and Basharat Mirza.