03 August 2004	Tuesday	16 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

HYDERABAD, Aug 2: The provincial president of the People's Party Parliamentarians, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has said that the party will contest the Tharparkar by-elections with all the resources at its command.

He predicted that the official candidate, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, would face a crushing defeat on August 18. Mr Khuhro was speaking to office-bearers of the party and its subordinate wings at the residence of MPA Zahid Ali Bhurgari here on Monday.

He said that the masses were with the PPP and politically conscious to differentiate between a friend and a foe. He said that Mr Aziz was a staunch supporter of Kalabagh dam and voting for him was tantamount to signing a death warrant for the agriculture-based economy of Sindh.

The PPP leader said that struggle against the Kalabagh dam and Thal canal projects would continue. He claimed that the downtrodden masses of Sindh were fully aware of the fact that PPP alone could resolve their problems. He added that other parties were seasonal parties which would wither away in time.

He vowed to continue struggle for the revival of the constitution, stability of the country and prosperity of the people. He said that the people alone could fight against price hike, unemployment, lawlessness, illiteracy and attacks on the national institutions and the unity of Pakistan.

He said that the rulers had made themselves a laughing stock among the comity of nations and predicted that a change could take place in the country anytime. The people, therefore, must maintain unity in their rank and file, Mr Khuhro said.

Mr Khuhro claimed that the government was left with no other option but to restore supremacy of the parliament and hand over power to the true representatives of the people.