KARACHI, May 7: The provincial president of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), Mr Zain Ansari, has withdrawn his candidature for PS-127 by-election in favour of the PPP Parliamentarian's candidate, Umar Jat.

He announced his decision at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club where PPP Sindh chief Nisar Ahmad Khuhro was also present. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khuhro said that although ARD was not an electoral alliance, Mr Ansari had taken the decision to bolster democratic forces.

He accused Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other component parties of the Sindh coalition of resorting to pre-poll manipulation through strong arm tactics. The PPP, he said, was apprising foreign diplomats and human rights organizations of the pre-poll rigging.

Earlier, on Thursday, the PPP candidates for three National Assembly and one Sindh Assembly seats addressed a press conference and alleged that they and their voters were being threatened with dire consequences by MQM candidates.

They cautioned the government that they could take appropriate steps to check such activities. Chief of the PPP election cell Barrister Kamal Azfar, speaking on the occasion asked the government to take serious notice of the PPP complaints.

He rejected the MQM's claim about its 'so-called development package' and said the MQM was trying to give an impression that all the work being carried out in the city was its handiwork and the provincial government and others had no hand in it.