KARACHI, Dec 13: The Peoples Party Parliamentarians will announce their candidate for the top slot in Sindh on Saturday.

This was stated by the Parliamentarians’ chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim at a news conference at Bilawal House.

He accused the government of “foul play” and expressed concern over the methods the regime has adopted to stifle the opposition and block the way of the PPP.

He said that after the elections he had hoped that the process would be clean and fair but the regime had crossed the limits by flouting rules and constitutional provisions.

He warned the regime not to indulge in such illegal acts because it would seriously undermine the process. He urged adherence to the rule of law.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the reports about the differences and split within the party over candidates were baseless. He said there was no difference between his son, Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nisar Khuhro. The decision regarding the candidate for the top slot would be taken in the light of the instructions of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

Asked why he could not become prime minister despite his contacts with the generals, Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that the contact was part of the dialogue which the PPP had initiated with all forces.

Replying to another question he said that the evolving political situation and the regime’s foul play had brought the PPP and the MMA together in Sindh.

He said that the joint candidate of the PPP and the MMA for the post of deputy speaker Sindh assembly, Abdur Rehman Rajput, was elected “unopposed” as he was the on;y candidate who had filed nomination papers for the slot till the expiry of the time announced by former speaker Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah, adds PPI.

“The announcement by the governor’s house regarding the extension of the filing of nomination papers for the post amounts to foul play and rigging,” he said.

He claimed that their joint candidate for the Sindh assembly speakership, Jam Saifullah Dharejo, would also be successful as some “other parliamentary groups have assured their support to our candidate”.

He said that action would be taken against PPP member Abdur Razzaq Mahar who announced his support for the rival parliamentary group.