HYDERABAD, Dec 3: Imtiaz Sheikh, Sindh general secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, has said that besides Karachi there are other constituencies in Sindh that needed delimitation and demanded fresh delimitation across the province.

He also said that now the ‘Sindh card’ was with Pir Pagara and it would be used in the interest of Sindh and Pakistan.

Mr Sheikh was speaking at a press conference at the residence of Mohammad Ali Shah Jamote, a former Matiari district nazim, in Civil Lines on Monday afternoon. Party legislators Jam Madad Ali, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Marvi Rashdi and other leaders were also present.

He said the Supreme Court had given a directive to the Election Commission of Pakistan on the issue, but the ECP secretary told the PML-F delegation at a meeting that delimitation could be done without census as law had provision for it.

“Besides Karachi, we can point out some other constituencies in Sindh which need delimitation. It will be better if we have province-wide delimitation,” he said and asked those having reservations about the apex court’s directive to file a review application.

He avoided commenting on the observation of the judiciary regarding delimitation as far as political issues were concerned. He said delimitation concerned the people. He said a reaction could only be given after the release of the detailed judgement by court in this regard.

He said that the PML-F would always side with the people on issues of Sindh and the country under the leadership of Pir Pagara. “The Sindh card is now with Pir Pagara and instead of its misuse it will be used in the interest of Sindh and Pakistan. No one will be deceived as Pir Pagara will give ownership to Sindh,” he said. The PML-F would honour the mandate given to it by the people in the shape of the recent strike against the local government law.

He claimed that the planned Dec 14 public meeting would be the biggest political show in the country’s history. The PML-F was there to give ownership to the people. He said member parties of the Sindh Bachayo Committee would also be invited to attend the event.

He criticised the alleged victimisation of PML-F activists in Shaheed Benazirabad and Shikarpur districts. He said a PML-F rally was attacked in Sanghar, but such kind of political terrorism would not benefit anyone. He advised officials involved in ‘victimisation’ of his party workers to stay impartial. He condemned ‘pre-poll rigging’ in the PS-21 by election of Naushahro Feroze and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of it.

About the Kalabagh dam project, he rejected charges of Pakistan People’s Party leaders against the PML-F. He said it was declared a mega project by the PPP government in 1973-74, and in 1989, during the PPP government, it was vetted by the Planning Commission yet the PPP was blaming the PML-F for it.

“Pir sahib had said that whether it was legitimate or illegitimate, it was the PPP’s baby,” he remarked. He said officers who had conceded before the Lahore High Court were either representing the federal government or the attorney general and both officials represented the federation. “So the PPP needs to clarify it.”

He said that only on Sunday PPP central information secretary and federal information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira had stated that Kalabagh dam could be built with consensus. “We say the dam cannot be built whether there is consensus or no consensus, as it is harmful for Sindh and ultimately for Pakistan. They (PPP leaders) talk about differences in Sindh and Punjab on the issue”, he said. “No consensus can be evolved on this issue and Mr Kaira should clarify his party position on it.” He said Pir Pagara openly opposed the project even when he was irrigation minister.

He urged political parties to come clean on the dam issue before election. “We are united in the SBC on the one-point agenda of local government law issue, but options for alliance relating to seat adjustment in polls are open,” he said and added that alliances could be made with the SBC’s member parties as well and the PML-F would always be ready to work with nationalists on Sindh-related issues, but currently it was working on a one-point agenda with them.

Imtiaz Sheikh with other party leaders visited the venue of the proposed public meeting. He presided over a meeting of the party’s Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisional chapters. Pir Pagara would address a gathering on Dec 14 on the ground located off the bypass near Hatri.