HYDERABAD, Sept 5: The People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party have decided to field joint candidates for nazim and naib nazim slots in the Qasimabad taluka. An announcement to this effect was made at a press conference at the press club on Monday by PPP MPA Zahid Bhurgari.

A large number of PPP and STPP leaders and councillors from Qasimabad taluka were present on the occasion.

Mr Bhurgari said with the approval of party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, Maula Bux Chandio had been nominated by the party for the nazim slot whereas the STPP had nominated Hyder Shahani for the post of naib nazim.

He claimed panels of UC-2 headed by Mehboob Abro and UC-3 headed by Yameen Soomro had announced support for PPP and STPP candidates.

The nazims of the two UCs were also present.

Nazim candidate Maula Bux Chandio said though the opposition councillors were being harassed and intimidated by the government, yet they had decided to brave criminal intimidation and vote for him and Mr Shahani.

He said he himself had been fired upon during the local body elections.

He said the government employees whose families had announced support of the panel specially Hesco employees were being made a special target.

Naib nazim candidate Hyder Shahani said he and other STPP leaders had been implicated in false cases but they would resist threats from powers that be and would not surrender before state terrorism.

JSM: Activists of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Junejo group) along with residents of Deh Shah Bukhari staged a demonstration outside the Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL) to protest against emission of poisonous gas from the company’s plant.

They demanded that villages of Deh Shah Bukhari be supplied with gas and jobs be given to the local people.

The protesters blocked the main road and stopped gas tankers of the company.

The Hatri police rushed to the spot but protesters refused to disperse.

Negotiations were held between the JSM leader Haider Bhutto and other local leaders and plant manager Ashfaq Leghari and Mukhtiar Leghari.

It was decided that the chairman of the JJVL would visit the area and hold talks with representatives of residents of Deh Bukhari villages to resolve the problems.