HYDERABAD, July 10: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said the option of calling the army to supervise the local bodies’ election cannot be ruled out altogether as the Sindh government is committed to use all available resources to ensure peaceful and transparent polls.

He was talking to journalists on Saturday night after speaking at a gathering at the Naseem Shalimar Bagh in Tando Allahyar. The gathering was organized by Pakistan Muslim League-F MPA Dr Irfan Gul Magsi in connection with the LB polls campaign as Tando Allahyar is among the districts where elections would be held in the first phase on August 18.

“We will use all resources either of police, Rangers and even the army to ensure transparent and peaceful elections. After all the army is the last weapon for the government. It is the prerogative of the provincial government and the Election Commission to seek the army’s help.”

Dr Rahim dismissed reports that a caretaker chief minister was being appointed in Sindh. “Why should there be a caretaker chief minister. Whether Sindh is witnessing firing or cluster bombing? The government and democracy are working perfectly. The president and the prime minister who can appoint a caretaker are with me,” he argued.

He said a committee comprising officials of the anti-corruption establishment, audit, chief minister’s inspection team, special branch and the local government would investigate allegations of malpractice against outgoing nazims, adding that it would not be victimization because charges would be probed on case-to-case basis.

When asked why such public meetings were being held when the polls would be held on non-party basis, he said every one had affiliation with one or the other party.

Answering a question regarding caretakers in local governments, he claimed that these officials would improve the existing district government system to set precedence for future nazims.

Earlier, kicking off the election campaign of the PML at the public meeting, Dr Rahim, who is also the president of the party’s Sindh chapter, urged people to elect honest representatives.

The chief minister suspended Naseer Canal division executive engineer Aziz Junejo for complaints of water shortage. “Irrigation officials create water shortage. If there is no shortage then there is no money for them,” he alleged. He said it was illogical that the country witnessed floods but there was no water in channels.

He announced formation of a committee, headed by MPA Magsi, to ensure transparent utilization of Rs50 million in Tando Allahyar from last year’s provincial budget.