HYDERABAD, July 1: An all-parties conference held here on Thursday night demanded that the Sindh governor and government should be removed and a caretaker government be appointed to ensure free, impartial and transparent local body elections in the province. The conference was organized by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Hyderabad district chapter.

Speaking on the occasion, the vice-president of the JUP and MMA leader MNA Khair Mohammad Zubair said target killings, bomb blasts and lawlessness were aimed at terrorising the people to rig the elections.

He said in order to defeat “extortionists” and “terrorists” all opposition parties should unite on one platform and field joint candidates in the elections.

MPA Rehman Rajput said the forces which had held the people hostage through terrorist activities would be defeated in the local body elections.

PPP MPA Zahid Bhurgari said an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood had been created in Hyderabad through joint efforts of the ARD and the MMA.

He said the cooperation between the two alliances would continue during the elections.

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Maulana Abdul Waheed Qureshi said under the patronage of the Sindh governor, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was using government functionaries to create lawlessness in the province.

Riaz Qureshi of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement said leaders of the MQM (Haqiqi) would not run away from the country and would not allow “murderers”, “looters” and feudal lords to rule over the urban people.

He said the MQM would fully cooperate with those who were struggling against terrorism.

Maulana Taj Mohammad Nahiyoo of the JUI, Afzal Gujjar of the PML-N, the chairman of the Al-Khadim group Haji Moin Shaikh, Khalid Hussain Attari of the Sunni Tehrik and Nizamul Hyderi of the Shia Ulema Council spoke on the occasion.

The conference adopted several resolutions, demanding removal of the Sindh governor and the provincial government.

The conference demanded that a caretaker government should be appointed to ensure free, fair and transparent local body elections.

It resolved to put up joint candidates against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the local body elections.

The conference demanded that after the dismissal of the Sindh government the entire bureaucracy should be reshuffled because in presence of Muttahida Qaumi Movement members in police, district administration and education department, fair and free elections could not be held.

It appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of induction of the MQM men in government institutions.

The conference condemned harassment and killing of political and religious leaders by the terrorists in Karachi.