13 August 2004	Friday	26 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

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MIRPURKHAS, Aug 12: People's Party Parliamentarians chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has said then Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had offered his son, Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman, the chief ministership of Sindh but he later backed out of his offer.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jilani House here on Wednesday night, he said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had also offered him (Mr Fahim) the premiership of the country, provided he parted ways with Benazir Bhutto, but he refused.

The vice-president of the PPP Sindh chapter, Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, MPA Syed Qaim Ali Shah, MNA Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur, ARD candidate for NA-229 Mahesh Malani and other party office-bearers were also present on the occasion.

Mr Fahim said the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy was contesting the by-election in Mithi and Attock despite threats and foul play by the government. He said his party believed in democracy to participate in elections.

Answering a question, the PPP leader said the foul play had begun with nomination of Shaukat Aziz as the prime minister even before his election to the National Assembly.

He sarcastically said Mr Aziz should have been made the prime minister through promulgation of an ordinance by Gen Musharraf. He said he did not expect a transparent election process because the Election Commission had no value and the Chief Election Commissioner was working under directives of high-ups.

The PPP leader said at the time of scrutiny of nomination papers of Mr Aziz by the returning officer, the ARD candidate was not allowed to enter the room, whereas uniformed officials were present.

Criticizing a statement of the Sindh chief minister that PPP office-bearers and workers would create law and order problem, he said the government was coercing the opposition on the one hand and accusing it of disturbing law and order on the other.

Mr Fahim alleged that people wanted by the National Accountability Bureau were appointed as ministers. He observed that after resignation of Mr Jamali as the prime minister, the country was running without a premier.

He said Gen Musharraf was creating confusion regarding the uniform issue as without uniform he would be rendered powerless. He said there was no democracy in the country and only one individual was ruling the country.