DADU, May 20: The Secretary General of Pakistan People’s Party, Jehangir Badar, has demanded formation of a caretaker government and an independent election commission to hold fair and free elections in the country.

Talking to journalists on the occasion of chehlum of former Sindh Chief Minister Syed Abdullah Shah in Wahur, Sehwan taluka, on Sunday, Mr Badar accused the MQM and Sindh government of carrying out killings in Karachi on May 12.

He said that activists of various political parties had proceeded to Karachi to participate in the rally to welcome CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry who were fired upon by the MQM terrorists.

The PPP secretary general said that the political parties had a right to welcome the CJP and accused the MQM and the Sindh government of denying Justice Chaudhry the right to address the members of the Sindh High Court Bar in Karachi by sealing all roads leading to the Sindh High Court.

He brushed aside rumours of his party’s deal with President Musharraf and said that PPP was struggling for independence of judiciary and establishment of a democratic government through free and fair elections.

He demanded of the rulers to step down and set-up an independent election commission which should hold fair and free elections in the country.

Central leader of Pakistan People’s Party, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said that presidential reference against the CJP was an attack on the judiciary.

He said the PPP was the only party which could bring the country out of the current crises under the able leadership of Benazir Bhutto.

President of PPP Sindh chapter, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has said that MQM leaders were blaming PPP leaders for Karachi carnage but, he said the people knew that MQM was directly involved in the killing of political parties’ activists on May 12.

Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, said that MQM had ensured that dead bodies were sent to different parts of the country on May 12.

He said that people’s voice was suppressed by the government and public was deprived of their basic rights.

Senator Raza Rabbani said that PPP had struggled for the rights of people and would continue to do so.

General Secretary of Balochistan National Party, Mir Hasil Khan Bezinjo, said that terrorist activities in Karachi have increased and innocent people were shot dead on May 12.

PPP leaders Prof N D Khan, Aftab Shaban Mirani, Rafique Ahmed Jamali, Syed Ghulam Shah Jilani, Barrister Pir Mujeeb and others also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, a recorded statement of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto was also played.

In her statement, she said that Syed Abdullah Shah was a brave man and decisions taken by him during his tenure as Sindh chief minister were bold.

She said that operations against bandits in interior of Sindh and terrorists in urban centres were the main steps of Abdullah Shah.

She condemned the government for holding the CJP hostage for hours and killing of political parties activists.

Quran khwani for the departed soul was held and food was distributed among the people.