05 July 2004	Monday	16 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, July 4: The Pakistan Muslim League's senior vice-president, Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, has said the PML will welcome any party including the Pakistan Peoples Party for fielding their candidate in the by-election on NA-229 constituency in Tharparker; the constituency from where his party has nominated Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He said the PPP, which was facing problem in finding a suitable candidate to contest the PML candidate, had started making noise in advance about rigging, adding they had foreseen their defeat from the seat, which had been a very secure constituency of the Arbab family - returning to parliament from the last many elections.

Assuring of a transparent process in the by-polls, Mr Shaikh, also a provincial minister, invited journalists and other observers to visit Tharparker, and watch for themselves the election process beginning from July 7, when nomination papers would be filed in by contesting candidates.

Mr Sheikh, addressing a press conference at his residence on Sunday, said Prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who was also the PML party chief, would be in the city on Tuesday.

In addition to his official engagements, he would also decide office bearers of the party's provincial chapter. "The opening of gates of the Prime Minister House for party workers augurs well for the party, and it will help it to strengthen its roots among the masses," he pointed out.

In reply to a question, he said that Sindh was suffering due to the past PPP governments for accepting the NFC award on the single criterion of population basis and water accord in 1994.

When asked if the government was reviewing its stand regarding the NFC award, the minister said that Sindh had taken a principled stand that criteria for the award should not only be population, but backwardness and revenue generation principle should also be kept in view.

Mr Sheikh said the new cabinet would meet soon, wherein the finance minister would brief the cabinet on the issue. But, he said, he did not see any deviation from the multiple criteria.

The minister regretted the tragedy of the death of children from drinking poisonous milk in Jogi Goth Bin Qasim Town, and promised to take up the matter with the chief minister for proper inquiry and compensation to the affected families.

When his attention was drawn towards the inordinate delay in announcement of portfolios of ministers, Mr Shaikh said the decision would be made public by tomorrow. As far as he was concerned, he said, he would accept whatever the party decides, and would extend full cooperation and serve the people in any capacity.

Imtiaz also invited local and international observers to visit the constituency and monitor the by-election.