LARKANA, Aug 4: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said the Khushal Pakistan Panel will win the local body elections in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts as a number of candidates of the group have already returned unopposed.

Talking to journalists here on Thursday, he said the People’s Party Parliamentarians was fully engaged in the elections as it had nominated candidates.

The chief minister claimed that some returning officers were favouring candidates of the Awam Dost Panel and rejecting nomination papers of KPP candidates on minor reasons. He said he would convey the matter to President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

“I’m a political figure, I have the right to work for my party. As the provincial party president I can’t remain away from the elections,” Dr Rahim maintained. However, he said, involvement of government officers in politics would not be tolerated.

Answering a question about Sindh National Front chief Mumtaz Bhutto, he said: “Mr Bhutto is an opponent of the PPP and its chairperson and he had no option but to come to us.”

About seat adjustment with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the chief minister said the KPP had made seat adjustment with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam in Larkana.

He said the law and order situation in Qambar was better and display and carrying of arms had been banned there.

Nawab Shabbir Chandio, Akbar Rashdi, Prevez Pechuho Khalid Mehmood Soomro and Masood Khuhro were also present on the occasion.

khuhro’s allegations: The leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, has demanded legal action against the chief minister for allegedly using state machinery against Awam Dost Panel candidates.

In a press statement issued here on Thursday, he said arrests and kidnappings of ADP candidates were a proof of the election malpractice.

He maintained that circuit houses were being used as election offices and for finalizing lists of PML candidates in violation of the code of conduct announced by the Election Commission.

“We are waiting when the Election Commission is going to take notice of such activities by the chief minister,” he said.

PROTEST: Residents of Beero Chandio and its adjoining area blocked the Larkana-Qambar road on Thursday to protest against unannounced power load-shedding.