DADU, April 12: The president of the Dadu chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and a candidate for PS-74 (Dadu), Syed Mohammad Shah, announced on Friday his party was severing the electoral alliance with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Dadu and Jamshoro districts.

Speaking at a press conference here, Mr Shah who was accompanied by PML-F leader and a candidate for PS-73 (Sehwan), Sardar Chakar Khan Shahani, said that PML-N leaders of the two districts were pressuring PML-F candidates into pulling out of contest for PS-74 and PS-73 in favour of PML-N candidates.

PML-F candidates enjoyed strong support in the two constituencies and were poised to succeed by a big margin, he said, adding that they would, therefore, find it ill-advised to withdraw.

Mr Shah said that with the approval of PML-F head Pir Sahib Pagara he was announcing the party’s decision to sever the electoral alliance with PML-N candidates in Dadu and Jamshoro districts.

He alleged that PPP leader and former education minister Pir Mazharul Haq who was running the election campaign for his son Pir Mujeebul Haq for PS-74 was given police protocol and enjoyed support of government officers.

He appealed to the chief election commissioner to take notice and transfer all officers of the district administration who were openly supporting PPP candidate Pir Mujeebul Haq.

The PML-N candidate for PS-74, Syed Zaffar Ali Shah, told Dawn over the phone the 10-party alliance had decided to field joint candidates for 108 seats of the Sindh Assembly but it could not take decision on 22 PA seats and nine seats of the National Assembly in Sindh.

He said that he and Syed Mohammad Shah were running for the same seat. Everybody had a right to contest election, he said.

He said that PML-N candidates had launched a campaign in Dadu and Sehwan. It was in fact a fight between Pir Mujeebul Haq, a PPP candidate for PS-74, and others, he said.

Pir Bux Babar, a spokesman for PML-N leader Liaquat Ali Jatoi, said that the PML-F decision would not affect loyal voters of the PML-N.

The party had announced severing the alliance in only Dadu and Jamshoro districts but the alliance with the party and others in the 10-party alliance would remain intact on the provincial level, he said.