THATTA, Jan 29: The leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has said the provincial government's move to bifurcate Larkana into two districts may set an example for the division of Sindh.

He was speaking at a press conference at the residence of People's Party Parliamentarians local leader Jaleel Memon here on Thursday. Earlier, Mr Khuhro had attended a session of party's Sindh executive committee which was attended by the district PPP chiefs and discussed preparations for a protest rally against the greater Thal canal scheduled on Feb 10 in Karachi.

Mr Khuhro contended that Dadu and Hyderabad districts had larger areas than Larkana which was going to be divided to appease Nawab Shabbir Chandio who had recently deserted the PPP and joined the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid.)

However, he warned, the PPP would struggle to keep the solidarity of the home district of its founder the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, intact. Replying a question about debriefing of nuclear scientists, Mr Khuhro said that they had suggested that a joint session parliament should be convened to sort out the sensitive issue.

About defection of Shabbir Chandio, Dr Sohrab Sarki and others, the Sindh PPP chief said that his party had won the elections in 1998 without them and it was the party which gave them a political identity.

Terming the vote of confidence for President Gen Pervez Musharraf a violation and betrayal of the Constitution, he said that those who were used by the "dictator" would realize their blunder in future.

Mr Khuhro said it was deplorable that the resolutions adopted by the Sindh Assembly against the controversial Kalabagh dam and the Thal canal were not honoured.

He said that the "incompetent" Sindh Chief Minister, Ali Mohammad Mahar, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were rendering irreparable losses to the province by bowing down before the centre against the vital interests of Sindh.

He said that the people of Sindh had been made to suffer under poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. He also criticised the performance of National Database Registration Authority, particularly in Thatta district. Earlier, in the meeting the PPP body decided that party's provincial leadership would tour Sindh from Feb 15 to March 15.

PROTEST: Residents took out a procession and staged a sit-in in Chuhar Jamali on Thursday to protest against the proposed closure of the local branch of Muslim Commercial Bank. The situation returned to normality on the assurance of the MCB regional manager that the decision had been taken back.