MIRPURKHAS, Jan 15: Former Sindh Chief Minister and president of PML-Q, Sindh, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has urged the government to include PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Sherry Rehman as well as two bodyguards of Benazir Bhutto, Rehman Dakait and Khalid Shahenshah, in the investigation into the assassination case of Ms Bhutto, and said that there could be a number of motives behind the assassination.

He was addressing a press conference after a meeting of PML-Q candidates and office-bearers of lower Sindh at the residence of Arbab Faiz Mohammad near Naokot on Tuesday, he said the investigation should focus on people who had benefited politically and financially from the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

He said that after Muharram he would resume his election campaign in Sindh and expressed the hope that his party would win with the support of coalition partners.

He said that elections would be held on schedule if no big incident occurred. He said that economic growth and progress achieved during eight years of President Pervez Musharraf had been damaged by miscreants after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Our Mithi correspondent adds: Speaking at public gathering in Virawah village near Nagarparkar, Dr Rahim has said that he and his supporters prefer the politics of patience and tolerance over the politics of revenge and believe in service to people without any discrimination.

Without naming Pakistan People’s Party, he said: “Some circles are trying to make a corpse the base of their politics to get votes and strengthen their party but what kind of politics is that.”

“One who has expired should be considered as dead and people should pin hopes on those who live,” he added.

He said: “I have not studied at Oxford but was born and educated in Thar and am aware of its culture and problems. My contribution can be gauged from the fact that … after becoming chief minister … not only I took bold stance on the issues concerning Sindh but also undertook projects of road network, electricity and water supply from canals across Thar, hence at present Thar is acknowledged as most developed party of the country.

“It is up to the Tharis to judge our performance. If they observe that we did not keep them on hollow slogans but endeavoured to redress their grievances, they should vote for PML candidates to enable us to carry on the remaining development projects,” Dr Rahim said.

Arbab Abdullah, Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo and Ram Singh Sodho also spoke on the occasion.