ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: Information Secretary of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Punjab, Naveed Chaudhry has claimed that Gen Pervez Musharraf was planning a referendum on the issue of Kalabagh Dam.

Speaking at a news conference with MPA Farzana Raja, deputy information secretary Abrar Rizvi and Nazir Dhoki, the PPP leader said Gen Musharraf was planning to link the decision of the referendum with his uniform.

"Like Gen Zia conducted a referendum in the name of Islam, Gen Musharraf will conduct a similar referendum on the controversial Kalabagh Dam." He said through the referendum, the people would be asked whether they wanted the Kalabagh Dam or not. Then, he said, Gen Musharraf would claim that his uniform was necessary for the construction of the dam.

The PPP leader said what was the need for changing Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, if the same "corrupt" people were to be appointed again by Shaukat Aziz. He said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was sleeping and not taking action against "corrupt" ministers.

Mr Naveed predicted that the government was about to collapse as by appointing Mr Aziz as prime minister, Gen Musharraf had played his last card. He said general elections were near and the PPP was ready for that. He said the new elections were expected to be held by February 2005. It may be mentioned that earlier the PPP leadership had declared the year 2004 as election year.

The PPP leader said Patriots members were fighting on cabinet positions while there were several pressure groups in the ruling coalition. He said infighting was continuing in the provinces as well.

In Sindh, he said, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Imtiaz Sheikh had serious differences while in Punjab, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was taking steps to humiliate Humayun Akhtar.

MPA Farzana Raja, who is also the in charge of PPP Central Information Bureau, alleged that Shaukat Aziz had been made prime minister to implement IMF agenda. She said acting on the IMF directions, Mr Aziz had recently withdrawn subsidy on agriculture.

She said how could Mr Aziz bring a change with the same cabinet members. She asked what projects Mr Aziz wanted to start now which he could not launch during the last five years. She said Benazir Bhutto would soon become the country's prime minister for the third time.