LARKANA, Aug 23: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that Rangers and police will maintain peace and the army will patrol the areas during the second phase of local body elections.

He was addressing an open kutchehry at residence of PML leader Nawab Shabir Ahmed Chandio in Qambar on Tuesday.

He said the law and order situation during the first phase of local body elections remained peaceful and no causality was reported from any part of the province.

Mr Arbab alleged that workers of the PPP tried to destroy peace in Jacobabad, Kashmore and Mirpurkhas districts but there attempts were foiled.

He accused opposition candidates of distributing looted money among people to muster support in the local body elections.

He called upon officials to remain impartial and neutral in the local body elections and if anyone on was found guilty of favouritism, legal action would be taken against him.

Praising Jam Sadiq Ali’s water apportionment accord struck in 1991, he said Sindh was struggling for implementation of the water agreement because it was in the interest of Sindh.

He said the PPP government in 1994 arrived at a water apportionment accord when Ghulam Mustafa Khar and Zaffar Ali Leghari were federal and provincial ministers of the concerned ministries.

He said the 1994 water accord was against the rights of Sindh.

He called upon irrigation officials to ensure water supply to tail-end areas and if failed they would face the action as every grower has a right to get due share of irrigation water.

Mr Arbab said people from different walks of life were joining the Khushhal Pakistan Panel.

He criticized opposition parties particularly the PPP for crying wolf after seeing defeat in the local body elections.

He said the people would vote for KPP candidates in the second phase as they had voted for the KPP during the first phase.

He said the people of the Mahoto village, once stronghold of the PPP, now had assured Masood Khuhro to support the KPP.