DADU, Oct 1: Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that government-backed candidates for district and taluka nazims are using police and other government machinery against candidates of the Awam Dost Panel in Sindh.

He was talking to reporters at the residence of former provincial law minister, Pir Mazharul Haq, on Saturday.

He also presided over a meeting of the PPP Dadu district.

MNA Rafique Jamali, Pir Mazharul Haq, ADP candidate for district nazim Saeed Jamali and other PPP leaders attended the meeting.

He said the federal minister for water and power, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, had encamped in Dadu to get his son Karim Bux Jatoi elected as district nazim, his nephew as taluka nazim Khairpur Nathan Shah and cousin as taluka nazim Mehar.

Mr Khuhro appealed to the chief election commissioner to take notice and stop interference of the federal minister in the third phase of local body election in the district.

He alleged that police and waderas were developing pressure on councillors of the ADP to cast their vote in favour of Liaquat Ali Jatoi’s son and other government-backed candidates.

He said the government-backed candidates were purchasing votes of councillors and on the other hand feudal and police were issuing threats to government officials.

He said it was violation of code of conduct and directives of the chief election commissioner as the federal minister for water and power was using government machinery and continuing election campaign for his son.

He said if threats to ADP councillors and their government official relatives were not stopped, the party would launch a series of protests.

He said price hike would further deepen economic crisis and increase poverty in the country.

He said the government was claiming to have 12 billion dollars reserves but poverty was increasing in the country day by day.

MNA Rafiq Jamali and Pir Mazharul Haq also spoke on the occasion.

DEVELOPMENT FUND: Schemes worth Rs200 million funded by the federal government were approved at a meeting of the district development committee here recently.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi presided over the meeting.

About Rs100 million had been given by General Pervez Musharraf and Rs100 million released by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for special development of the district.

The schemes included bypass roads, new building of gymkhana, bus stand and Sabzi Mandi.

The meeting decided that repair of historical Khudabad mosque and ancient Runikot fort would be initiated in the first week of October.

Mr Jatoi told the meeting that work of roads and electricity would be completed within three months at Gorakh Hill Station.

He said water would be supplied to the far-flung villages of Johi taluka at a cost of Rs15 million. DCO Aijaz Mangi said that work on annual development schemes was going on.

He said work on schemes of the federal government would commence from October 7.

He said Rs1.5 million had been allocated for each UC and the amount would be executed through UC nazims.