LARKANA: Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh who recently quit the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) to join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has complained that a group within the PPP did not vote for him in the PS-11 Shikarpur by-election. Mr Shaikh retained the seat in the Oct 30 by-poll defeating a strong Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) candidate..

Talking to journalists at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto on Monday where he offered fateha and laid floral wreaths on Bhuttos’ graves, Mr Shaikh said that Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had taken notice of the group’s attitude and formed a committee to probe the issue.

He said that his opponent Nasir Mehmood Soomro of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl had initially accepted the results, appreciated the arrangements made for polls and graciously admitted defeat but the very next day he started hurling accusations of rigging, which was beyond comprehension.

He said that people of Shikarpur had rejected the same elements in 2013 election as well and inflicted defeat on them once again, which spoke volumes of the trust they had in Bhuttos’ vision and party manifesto.

“I am here to pay tribute to the leadership of Z.A. Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, who laid down their lives for the sake of democracy in the country,” he said. He thanked Bilawal and people of Shikarpur who reposed trust in him and once again returned him victorious. He said in response to a question that education, health and communication had always remained on top of his priorities list and he was always ready to serve the constituency but at this point in time he was unaware of any reports about his induction in provincial cabinet.

Local party leaders and workers accorded Mr Shaikh a warm welcome when he arrived at the Bhuttos’ mausoleum to pay his respects after victory in by-election.

HR office to be opened in Larkana

Ms Rehana Leghari, special assistant to Sindh chief minister on human rights, said on Monday that after the establishment of human rights offices in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur, an office would be established in Larkana within a week.

Talking to journalists, Ms Leghari said the issue of Sahil Korejo, who had gone missing in Naudero a year ago, would be taken up before the apex committee. She had also issued instructions to police to recover Fazila Sarki as soon as possible, she said.

Ms Leghari met relatives of Korejo at the deputy commissioner’s office and asked police to recover him at the earliest and hand him over to his parents.

Earlier, she held meetings with different delegations of women in Ratodero after visiting Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto and visited special prison for women where she met inmates and inquired about their problems.

She asked the jail superintendent to ensure regular production of inmates in their respective courts and provide them facilities in accordance with jail manual.

Ms Leghari accompanied by MPA Seemi Soomro, member of provincial task force on human rights, later went to the Darul Aman and met women who had taken shelter there. She also visited casualty unit at the Chandka Medical College Teaching Hospital.

Published in Dawn October 25th, 2016