KARACHI, Feb 19: Amid deepening political crisis in Sindh, the sacked provincial minister, Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, has claimed that he enjoys support of more than 20 MPAs, including the ministers, Altaf Hussain Unnar , Syed Ali Bux Shah alias Pappoo Shah, and the adviser, Murtaza Jatoi. He also claimed of having support of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's coordination committee.

Mr Shaikh, who was addressing a press conference along with PML Karachi President Bostan Ali Hoti, Vice President Al-haj Shamimuddin, Secretary Amanullah Paracha and other party leaders, said the PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was annoyed with the attitude of the chief minister for not taking the party chief into confidence about his decision (of sacking the minister) before making it public.

He welcomed the formation of a three-member fact-finding mission by Chaudhry Shujaat to ascertain veracity of the allegations against him and streamline the party working. Mr Shaikh said that after consulting his lawyers, he had decided to file a defamation suit in the Sindh High Court against Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

He claimed that Dr Arbab had always opposed him and had also resisted his induction in the Sindh cabinet. "Later, he implicated me in the kidnapping of Santosh Kumar, but failed to prove the charge. He also imposed a ban on transfers and postings in my departments, but after failing to find anything against me, he resorted to accusing me of illegal allotment of lands."

He accused the chief minister of working against the party interests, saying that his actions showed that he was bent upon harming the party. "But rest assured, we would not let him destroy the party."

Mr Shaikh expressed his gratitude over the central leadership's confidence in him and pointed out that Secretary General Senator Mushahid Hussain had officially asked him to continue discharging his duties as the PML Sindh secretary.

He said he intended to summon a meeting of the party's provincial set up after Muharram, to review the membership drive and election preparations, and invite Dr Arbab as the party's provincial chief, although the CM had not invited him to the party meeting held on Saturday at the CM's House. Mr Shaikh said that the resolutions adopted at the meeting had no legal bearing as none of them had been signed by anyone.

He demanded release of all those arrested in Thatta, Shikarpur and other places for staging protest demonstration against the CM's decision. In reply to a question, he confirmed having talked to Makhdoom Amin Faheem, saying that it was the PPP leader who had called him.

However, he added, he did not seek any help from the Makhdoom. He suggested that the fact-finding mission should conduct the investigation by calling each and every person to be included in the probe at the PML House, instead of visiting the CM's House and his (Mr Shaikh's) residence.

Bostan Ali Hoti and Amanullah Paracha condemned the chief minister's decision and said they fully supported Mr Shaikh. Al-haj Shamimuddin said that the presence of the office-bearers of the Sindh PML and those of 18 set-ups at town level here spoke itself of the support Mr Shaikh enjoyed.