KARACHI, Oct 23: The Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sindh president, Nisar Khuhro, has said that his party is willing to cooperate with those political forces who are eager to bring in stability, peace and progress for the people of Sindh.

These sentiments were reciprocated by the Sindh PPP chief at a news conference on Wednesday during which Maj Gen (retd) Ahsan Ahmad, who resigned as the provincial minister for health and population welfare, joined the PPP.

Mr Khuhro’s remarks were significant in view of the statement of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Convener, Dr Imran Farooq, in which he had dropped positive notes on the implications of any cooperation between the PPP and MQM, as they enjoy mandate of a vast majority.

The PPP Sindh chief said that his party will never compromise on principles and inclusion of Gen Ahsan was manifestation of that track record.

To a questioner, he said that his party will nominate its parliamentary leader for the province in two or three days.

Mr Khuhro alleged that the government failed to hold fair and transparent elections in the country. No party is still aware of its strength in assemblies even though the polls were held on October 10, he said.

While announcing his decision to join the PPP at Mr Khuhro’s residence, Gen Ahsan said that his differences with the government cropped up when the programme of devaluation of power from provincial capitals to districts was being discussed.

“On several occasions in my three years tenure as health minister, I differed with the government on various steps, including devolution of power and the controversial referendum held by the President. I also opposed constitutional amendments aimed at hindering PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s return to power,” he said.

He observed that devolution from provincial capitals to district headquarters must be accompanied simultaneously by devolution of power from Centre to provinces.

If this is not done, provincial capitals will be emasculated and may not get any power from the Centre.

He maintained that the way presidential referendum was held, it further alienated him from the present regime.

He alleged that immediately after the referendum, the government started pre-poll rigging by forming a King’s party through the agencies. This was followed by massive transfers of bureaucrats in the districts where District Nazimeen were considered as unfriendly to the government. This, he said, was followed by the induction of five ministers with objectionable track record.

He said that pre-poll rigging at the federal level included induction of a law which only affected Benazir Bhutto.

He said Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) emerged victorious in elections due to the wrong and pro-US policies of the government. “In fact, the government helped religious and fundamentalist elements to re-emerge in the country,” he charged adding that the government systematically worked for it in order to marginalize the PPP and PML(N) and for personal gains.

Gen Ahmad also opposed one-sided amendments to the 1973 Constitution.