SUKKUR, Sept 16: Sindh People's Party Parliamentarians president Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said the country will face a threat to its integrity if President Gen Pervez Musharraf does not shed his uniform.

He was speaking at public gatherings in Ubaro and Mirpur Mathelo, Ghotki, in connection with his mass-contact campaign on Wednesday. The PPP leader said the masses would take to the streets against Gen Musharraf if he kept offices of both the president and the Chief of Army Staff.

Criticizing the army operation in the tribal area, he alleged that hundreds of innocent people had been killed in Wana in the name of operation against terrorists. The PPP leader regretted that parliament was not being allowed to take up the matter at its session.

He claimed that the Wana operation was aimed at protecting one person (President Musharraf) and pleasing the US. He demanded that the government should immediately stop the operation.

About the Kalabagh dam, Mr Shah made it clear that his party was against construction of the project, saying it was wrong that the PPP had supported the project while it was in power. He said the party would continue to oppose construction of the dam.

Claiming that 2005 would be the year of general elections, he said PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would return to the country before the election and extricate the country from the crisis. Mr Shah claimed that the government wanted to send Asif Ali Zardari into exile by striking a deal with the party but the PPP would not enter into such a deal.

ROBBERY: A leader of PPP-P, Sukkur district, Ali Mardan Kalwar, was robbed by armed men in Pano Akil on Thursday. Five armed men barged in the house of Mr Kalwar and robbed cash, ornaments and other valuables.