HYDERABAD, Feb 10: The Sindhi nationalist parties and their like-minded political allies opposing the Sindh People’s Local Government Act (SPLGA) will field their joint candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

This was stated by Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party (STP) chairman Dr Qadir Magsi while speaking at a press conference held at the party’s headquarter in Qasimabad on Sunday evening. STP central leaders Haider Shahani, Dr Rajab Memon, Dr Abdul Majeed, Muzaffar Kalhoro, Qadir Channa and others were also present.

He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) would be defeated in Sindh as they had proved themselves disloyal to Sindh people by introducing the SPLGA rejected by the masses.

He said that the entire nation had resolved to foil any conspiracy aimed at getting the upcoming elections postponed through various moves like the “drama staged by Dr Tahirul Qadri in Islamabad”. He alleged that ‘Zardari group’ was also hatching such conspiracies.

Dr Magsi claimed that mainstream political leadership in the country was now convinced that Allama Qadri had staged the drama of long march and sit-in to help (President) Zardari prolong his rule over the country. The STP had warned the nation about this even before the march was launched.

Dr Magsi also termed the out-of-turn promotion bill enacted into law by the Sindh Assembly ‘pre-poll rigging’. He condemned the law and appealed to the Supreme Court to take notice of the move.

He announced that 35 STP candidates — 10 for National Assembly seats and 25 for Sindh Assembly seats — would be fielded in the upcoming elections.

He said he would contest for PS 47, Haider Shahani for PS-50 and Dr Rajab Memon would be the candidate for the Qasimabad constituency of the National Assembly.