HYDERABAD, Oct 28: The government is deliberately trying to delay transfer of power to enable the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) to form government at the Centre.

This was stated by a senior leader of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and MNA-elect, Syed Khurshid Ahmed, while talking to newsmen in Gari Khata on Monday.

Stressing on the need for calling the session of the National Assembly, he said that it would end the prevailing confusion.

He added that it was upto the president to summon the first session of the newly-elected Parliament as the newly-elected members were powerless in this regard.

Expressing his confidence regarding the PPP forming government in Sindh, he said that possibilities exist and that the PPP was hopeful about an understanding in this regard with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

The government, he said, intended to provide an opportunity to the PML (Q) to show its strength, adding that the pace with which the independent candidates were joining the PML (Q) had proven beyond any doubt that the PML (Q) was the ‘king’s party.’

Referring to the possibility of the PPP forming a coalition government with the PML-Q, he said that the PPP may consider forming an alliance if the PML (Q) was ready to offer the slot of prime minister and withdraw all false cases against the PPP leaders, including Benazir Bhutto.

He, however, clarified that no member of the PPP would take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).

Referring to what the PPP claimed to be a ‘chance meeting’ between chief of the PPP and the MNA-elect, Makhdoom Amin Faheem, and President Gen Pervez Musharraf, he said that Amin Fahim would be in a better position to provide details of it. He added that chance meetings were always chance meetings.

Referring to the Sindh governor’s reported meeting with the Chaudhry brothers in Punjab, he said that the Chaudhry brothers had nothing to do with the politics in Sindh, adding that it was known to all that the Governor’s House in Sindh was used as the PML (Q)’s election headquarters.

Reiterating allegation regarding rigging in October 10 polls, he cited the case of the SDA chief, Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, as an example.

Khurshid Shah said that the party would decide about the parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly, adding that Qaim Ali Shah and Nisar Khuhro both had the mandate and the party’s decision would be final in this regard.

Rejecting reports about a rift within the party ranks, he said that the efforts of President Gen Pervez Musharraf, to split the party, had gone in vain.

Khurshid Shah criticised the government’s action against the former provincial health minister, Major Gen (Retd) Ahsan Ahmed, saying that it was hypocritical on part of the government to treat the minister dishonourably for joining the PPP while those who were demanding senate tickets were being treated honourably.