LAHORE, March 11: The PPP has blamed the ISI for causing defections in the party and resignations by MPs. Speaking at a press conference at opposition leader's chamber in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday , provincial president Qasim Zia alleged a serving brigadier had visited some newspaper offices to ensure special coverage of Wednesday's news conference by rebels from Bahawalpur division.

He said the ISI was weakening political parties to weaken the political system itself. The people who had abandoned the PPP should have discussed their grievances, if any, at party forums, he said, adding these people had not uttered even a single word during any party meeting.

Zia claimed that the three MPAs who resigned from the party on Wednesday had told him that Bahawalpur District Nazim Tariq Bashir Cheema was putting pressure on them for abandoning the party. "But they assured me that they won't desert the party at any cost." He said the "resignation drama" was played to damage the on-going movement against Gen Musharraf from the platform of the ARD.

He said the party would take legal action against the three MPAs for deseating them as chairperson Benazir Bhutto had been informed of the decision. He said the party had in principle decided social boycott of ministers and leaders of the ruling coalitions but Mr Zafar Warraich violated this policy by inviting the chief minister to a social gathering.

He (Mr Warraich) then tendered his apology to the chairperson through an e-mail and she had forgiven him, Zia said. He said as due to the floor-crossing clause the deserters could not join the government so they resigned when the ruling PML-Q assured them of its support in the bypolls.

Saying desertion by a handful of people would not affect the party, he challenged them to contest the by-polls as independent candidates to see their popularity among the masses. General secretary Rana Aftab and information secretary Naveed Chaudhry were also present.