KHAIRPUR, April 20: The chief of the defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba, one of the banned religio-political groups, Ali Sher Hyderi, on Saturday announced the formation of a new party named Millat-i- Islamia.

He was speaking at a press conference here and was accompanied by MNA Maulana Azam Tariq.

Mr Hyderi said that he was the chairman of the new party and Maulana Tariq its central convener.

Dr Khadim Hussain Dhalon, Khalifa Abdul Qayyum, Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhyanvi and Mehmood Ghaznavi were the assistant conveners of the party, he said and added that the names of the provincial conveners would be announced soon.

Describing the objectives of the newly-formed party, he said that it would strive for making Pakistan an Islamic and prosperous state, protecting the honour of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and fighting against conspiracies against Islam.

Earlier, a nine-hour-long meeting of religious scholars from the four provinces was held here.