Beleaguered PPP holds out olive branch to Hafiz Naeem.

KARACHI -- A day after Jamaat-i-Islami's Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman levelled serious allegations of rigging against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday contacted the former over the phone and assured him that his legitimate concerns on the results of local government election would be addressed.

Not only the chief minister, but other members of his cabinet also held press conferences to reject Hafiz Naeem's criticism and simultaneously extended an olive branch to the agitated JI.

PPP Karachi division president and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said if the JI wanted to secure the position of Karachi's mayor, the two parties had to hold a serious discussion on this issue.

The chief minister asked the JI leader to contact the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding his complaints. He was also learnt to have told Hafiz Naeem that his government would play an impartial role in solving the problems that were with the provincial government.

Murad assures JI leader of addressing legitimate concerns

On the other hand, PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmad Khuhro came down hard on the JI city chief for his criticism on the election results.

Mr Khuhro and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told a press conference that the majority mandate given to the PPP by people should be recognised.

They said that the PPP...