DADU, Feb 24: President of PPP Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that dialogue between the government and the People's Party was going on but the party had not struck any deal with the former.

He was talking to reporters at the residence of PPP's district general-secretary, Dost Ali Jesser, here on Thursday. He said that some pro-establishment elements were spreading misleading reports that the PPP and the government had struck a deal. He said the dialogue would continue with the ARD and the PML-N in the interest of the people and the country.

He said the government had been wasting money for the last eight years by pursuing old cases against the PPP leadership. Had this amount been spent on development, people could have benefited much, he added.

He demanded that an independent election commission be set up to hold general elections in the country. He claimed that "PPP can bring a vote of no-confidence against the Sindh chief minister but it was better that he and his cabinet resign on their own" after their reputation has been tainted by corruption charges.

He said the government should adopt a democratic attitude in the general elections and announce their schedule. He said that both Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari will return soon. He claimed that only Benazir had the capability to handle the current complex situation.

He said that Sindh ministers were misusing public money and disposing of costly land at throwaway prices. He said the Sindh government had failed to provide basic amenities to the people as its members were busy in infighting.

He said Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Rahim had himself admitted that other ministers of his cabinet were also involved in corruption. Now the CM "has no legal or moral justification to stay in power", he said.

He said the construction of Greater Thal Canal was going apace. If the construction of Kalabagh Dam was announced, it would lead to dangerous results, he warned. Mr Shah said that donor agencies were providing billions of rupees to Pakistan for poverty alleviation but the government had not used those funds in a proper manner, which was resulting in further increase in poverty.

LIFE TERM: Third Additional Sessions Judge Dadu Inderyas Barkat on Thursday awarded life term to Ali Gohar Lund for killing one Ali Gohar Channa in the jurisdiction of Bhan Syedabad police station in 1988 over old enmity. The judge acquitted two other accused in the case - Khamiso Lund and Rawat Lund. Another accused Muhammad Ayub Lund was declared an absconder.