KARACHI, June 8: Hectic activity in political quarters was witnessed on Tuesday with parliamentary parties in the Sindh Assembly spending a very busy day chalking out their strategies for the special session of the house on Wednesday at 11am.

The session has been summoned to elect a new leader of the house after resignation by Sardar Ali Muhammad Mahar as chief minister. The parliamentary party of PML-led coalition met at the Chief Minister's House. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister Ghous Bux Mahar and Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar.

More than 72 MPAs of the total 97 members of the treasury benches were present at the meeting. A candidate for the slot of chief minister requires support of at least 85 members in the 168-strong house. Due to the death of an MPA, Abdullah Murad, the strength of the house is 167 at the moment.

Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who is the consensus candidate of the coalition, is expected to be sworn-in as chief minister, after his formal election during the session, in a simple ceremony to be held at the Governor's House at 5pm on Wednesday.

Dr Arbab, a senior parliamentarian, will be the 26th chief minister of the province. Referring to the shortfall of 13 members to ensure election of Dr Arbab as the new CM, sources close to the coalition pointed out that some MPAs belonging to the treasury side were out of the station and likely to return sometime during the night to attend the assembly session.

Dr Arbab, speaking at the meeting, pledged to work for the progress and prosperity of Sindh and its people, as well as the country. He held out the assurance that he would take along all the members of the house.

He thanked President Musharraf, Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, MQM cheif Altaf Hussain, Pir Saheb Pagara, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and leaders of other allied parties for their cooperation in his nomination as the leader of the house.

The PPP parliamentary party held its meeting at the residence of the Leader of the Opposition, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, on Tuesday. Mr Khuhro, Sindh chief of PPP, told the meeting that Sardar Ali Mohammed Mahar's resignation appeared to be a proof that the PML and Establishment had failed.

Mr Khuhro said: "In view of the desire expressed by two members of the coalition's parliamentary party who had contacted him to discuss some important matters tonight, I am putting off the meeting. All opposition members will re-assemble at the Sindh Assembly chamber of the leader of the opposition at 10am on Wednesday."

He said he had formed a two-member committee to sort out certain matters with the coalition members. Earlier, commenting on the nomination of Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim as leader of the house, Mr Khuhro remarked that cosmetic changes could improve the situation.

The Centre, instead of addressing real problems, had pushed the province to greater dangers by imposing its hand-picked man as the new leader of the house, he said. The MMA parliamentary party has scheduled its meeting for Wednesday at 9am to chalk out its strategy for the session.