LAHORE, June 30: The Punjab PPP executive, which met here under the chairmanship of Mr Qasim Zia here on Wednesday, discussed a strategy to thwart government's alleged plans to rig the by-elections on four provincial assembly seats on July 3.

Information Secretary Naveed Chaudhry told a news conference that legislators and party office-bearers of the nearby districts had been directed to monitor the polls in Lahore and Bahawalpur districts.

He said the PPP candidates enjoyed public support and they would defeat the rivals. Naveed Chaudhry told a questioner that the ARD was not an election alliance and thus it was of little relevance that the PPP and the PML-N had not made electoral adjustments.

He said his party had offered the PML-N a seat in Bahawalpur district provided it withdraw its candidate from Lahore. However, he said, the talks fell through. The PPP leader said the MMA was the B-team of the government which was blackmailing it.

Going by the ARD's numerical strength in the National Assembly, he said Makhdoom Amin Fahim had the right to become opposition leader. He was critical of the way Mr Jamali had been removed as prime minister. This, he said, showed, there was no democracy in the country.

About the appointment of Chaudhry Shujaat Husain as new prime minister, he alleged the leader from Gujrat was not qualified for the post as he had got written off his loans after being elected to the lower house of parliament.

Naveed Chaudhry said Shaukat Aziz had fudged figures about foreign exchange reserves. He alleged that the finance minister had purchased billions of dollars from the open market to show that the country had huge reserves.

In fact, he said, he raised inflation rate in the country by printing more notes in return for which dollars had been purchased. In response to a question, the PPP leader said the party would not have to call for fresh elections as the situation would force the rulers to go to the electorate without delay.

He condemned the government for its failure to arrest the killers of Mr Munawwar Suharwardi and Pir Binayamin. Meanwhile, Mr Asif Ali Zardari said on Wednesday that elections could be held during the current year and the party should make preparations.

He was talking to party leaders who called on him at Kot Lakhpat Jail. He exchanged views on the prevailing situation in the country. Those who met the PPP leader included Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan, Qasim Zia and Mian Misbahur Rehman.