LARKANA, April 26 The twice-suspended nazim of Larkana taluka, Qurban Abbasi, on Sunday accused the pro-PPP nazim of committing and abetting large-scale corruption and misappropriation of funds and said he would challenge his second suspension in the court.

Mr Abbasi said at a press conference at the press club that his suspension was in contravention of Sindh Local Government Ordinance and local government system.

He said that since his victory to become taluka nazim his opponents (PPP-backed ADP members) had exhausted their energies to unseat him but they met failure each time.

Finally, they got him suspended on Aug 27, 2008 through some influential person in the Sindh government and as a result cases were registered against him with Anti-Corruption Establishment, he said.

He moved the Sindh High Court, Karachi, against the suspension and the court restored him on April 21 but just after three days he was again suspended by the secretary of Local Government Department, he said.

He said that since he had yet not received the notification he considered himself as taluka nazim.

He alleged that during his suspension period the acting taluka nazim Yasir Junejo attempted to sell out pricey plots at old bus terminal, old fish market and green belts in Sachal Sarmast Housing Colony through his henchmen.

He said that on April 21 when he was restored, the acting taluka nazim allotted a plot measuring 4,950 square feet to a woman, Quratul Ain Kango, which he (Qurban Abbasi) later cancelled.

He alleged that the council doubled the budget in his absence and consumed it within three months. It again re-approved the budget with 70 per cent enhancement and exhausted it within two months, he said.

Abbasi accused the acting taluka nazim of releasing Rs9.1 million to contractors from the Octri zila tax (OZT share), which was exclusively meant for salaries, pensions and outstanding dues.

He said that a huge amount of the budget had been gobbled up in the name of roads patchwork through fake bills and called for conducting impartial enquiry through a high court judge to ascertain as to who had been corrupt or ineligible.

Strike in Qambar

A complete strike was observed in Qambar on Sunday in protest against registration of cases at Qambar and Hamal police stations against two sons of Nawab Shabbir Ahmed Chandio, district nazim of Qambar-Shahdadkot district.

Chandio's supporters took out a procession, which marched on main roads of the town before assembling at Martyr's Square where they blocked the road by setting tyres on fire.

The protesters demanded that police withdraw the cases.