HYDERABAD, April 8: The deputy opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, has said that the division of Hyderabad into four district is being supported by only by those people who are either part of the provincial government and had some vested interests in the division.

Talking to newsmen at the local press club late on Thursday evening, he said if the Muttahida Qaumi Movement wanted to cooperate with the PPP, it should oppose all anti-Sindh policies, including the division of Hyderabad district, Kalabagh dam and the Greater Thal Canal project.

The scion of the Makhdoom family of Hala said that a forceful voice would be raised in the Sindh Assembly against the division of Hyderabad and the PPP would expand the scope of the protest.

If needed, he said, his party would seek judiciary’s help.

He claimed that those who were given political bribe in the shape of districts, were not in a position to win any election against his party for the next 100 years.

He refuted claims that Hyderabad district was divided on people’s demand.

Answering a question, he said that the lotas ,as already announced by PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would not be allowed to rejoin the party for at least 10 years.

Meanwhile, the Hala Taluka Nazim, Makhdoom Habibullah, has also condemned the division of Hyderabad district.

Talking to newsmen, he said, if directed by the party, all the union councils nazims of Hala and Matiari talukas would tender their resignations in protest against the division of the district.

STRIKE: A complete shutter down strike was observed in Hala town on the call of the PPP on Friday and all the markets remained closed in protest against the division of Hyderabad.

Traffic also remained off road while the students boycotted the classes.

Reports reaching here from Hala further said that two workers of Shaheed Irfan Zaidi Memorial Society, Fareed and Ali Muhammad Malik and the president of PPP youth Hala, Javed Shaikh announced self-immolation in protest against the bifurcation of district, but due to heavy deployment of police, they failed to turn up. Reports further said that some one dozen other activists were also rounded up. Police had made strict security arrangements. A large number of activists also staged protest demonstration.

HUNGER STRIKE: PPP-SB activists, led by the city president of the party, Raja Rasheed Samoon, observed token hunger strike outside the local press club on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, Samoon said that Chief Minister had held out an assurance that the representatives of the political parties, social welfare organisations and intellectuals would be taken into confidence before bifurcating the district.

He regretted that the Chief Minister has reneged on his promise.

He demanded that the decision to bifurcate Hyderabad district should be reversed.

MMA: MMA leader, Mr Abdul Rehman Rajput MPA, has severely criticised the alleged partisan attitude of the DCO Hyderabad and demanded that he should be transferred immediately and replaced by some impartial and honest officer.

In a statement issued here on Friday, he alleged that the DCO was a worker of an organisation and was acting as its spokesman.