SUKKUR, May 12: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah claimed on Saturday that “over one million people” were ready for a call from the People’s Party leadership to march on Lahore in a “befitting answer to threats” by the Pakistan Muslim League-N.

The chief minister was speaking at a public meeting of the PPP near Sukkur.

Qaim Ali Shah said people had voted for President Asif Ali Zardari as a representative of the late Benazir Bhutto and they had gathered now because attempts had been made to remove the government elected by them.

He said the PPP came to power thanks to sacrifices by the masses, assuring them that “blood of the martyrs” would not go to waste.

He said the PPP would return to power after the coming elections because it had served the growers and youths, alleging that the PML-N leaders “do not believe in serving the poor”.

“The nation is with the President and the Prime Minister,” the chief minister claimed.

He said the PPP government was trying its best to provide jobs to youth and solve women’s problems, but the Sharif brothers were still advocating building of Kalabagh dam in negation of Benazir Bhutto’s wishes, recalling that she had led a large sit-in at the same place along the Punjab border during the 1990s.

The PPP had struggled for democracy for 40 years and faced trial and tribulation, Mr Shah observed. “We will strengthen Sindh and Pakistan.”

The chief minister said the PML-N had done nothing for Sindh during its rule.

Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Khuhro said people had gathered to save democracy. “We are stronger than before and our opponents won’t have any candidate in Sindh in the next election,” he said.

Makhdoom Shahabuddin thanked President Zardari for taking steps for creation of the “south Punjab” province. He supported the prime minister’s decision to not write a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases. Against president Zardari.

Earlier, some PPP workers accompanying federal Minister Syed Khursheed Shah snatched from the cameraman of a TV channel the video recording of manhandling of the airport SHO over traffic arrangements at the bypass.

Talking to reporters, SHO Inayat Soomro said there was a ban on heavy traffic on the road, but a coach had come in the way of a caravan, forcing the minister’s vehicle to slow down.

The National Highway was closed from Friday night for public transport and thousands of buses, coaches and other vehicles going to and from Karachi were diverted to the Kashmore-Kandhkot-Shikarpur road through the Sukkur bypass.