HYDERABAD, Oct 14: Federal Minister for Political Affairs Moula Bux Chandio, who is also the Sindh vice president of Pakistan People’s Party, has said that ongoing propaganda against the party had been resorted to by opposition forces under a conspiracy to divide its massive vote bank in Sindhi.

He told the media on Sunday during a visit to the venue of the party’s Monday public meeting here on Sunday that the propaganda had been started just a few months ahead of the general election.

He appealed to the opposition forces, including nationalist parties and groups, not to direct the people of Sindh to adopt the path of confrontation as Sindh could not afford such a confrontation.

He said that PPP did not believe in violence but in pure politics and dialogue. He observed that unpopular parties and groups were out to enforce their views and concepts which was not acceptable in a democratic dispensation.

In reply to a question, the minister said that the PPP spearheaded a long struggle for the restoration of democracy and fought against dictators; its leaders and workers endured excesses and offered great sacrifices in that difficult time. “We are not afraid of the propaganda and the situation created by it,” he added.

Mr Chandio said that the PPP was ready and in a position to make amendments to the constitution, and advised the opponents to negotiate with it if they wanted any fair changes in the recently passed local government law.

Regarding apprehensions about the law and order during the Monday rally, he hoped that no one would try to create a trouble and warned that miscreants would be dealt with sternly.

Sindh Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgari, who heads the PPP Hyderabad district chapter, said that the venue of the PPP public meeting — the playground behind Rajputana Hospital — had a capacity of 400,000 participants. Over 60,000 chairs had been made available besides making floor-sitting arrangements for 300,000 people.

The party would hold another mammoth public meeting after Eidul Azha in some other city of the province, he added.

MNA Shagufta Jumani and local party leaders including Syed Fayyaz Shah,  Amanullah Siyal, Aziz Memon, Noorunnisa Abro and others were also present.