June 6, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24,1423

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SUKKUR, June 5: A large number of truckers blocked vehicular traffic at the Moro section of the National Highway on Wednesday in protest against the looting spree by highwaymen who robbed dozens of commuters besides injuring a driver and a cleaner earlier in the day.

A gang of eight highwaymen started looting the commuters at about 5am one after one. They deprived passengers of many buses, drivers of buses, trucks and other vehicles of their cash and valuables.

When they tried to rob driver of the truck no. PT-0207, he offered resistance prompting the highwaymen to fire shots which injured the driver, Ehsan Gul and his cleaner, Ashiq.

The robbers disappeared from the scene later.

Afterwards, truck drivers parked their vehicles horizontally blocking the vehicular traffic demanding arrest of the highwaymen.

The blockade continued for about four hours.

The TPO of Moro and an SHO, along with a strong contingent of police, reached there and persuaded the protesters to end their blockade.

ENVIRONMENT DAY: A walk was held under the joint auspices of the Environment Protection Agency, Sindh Forest, and the Wild Life Department to mark the World Environment Day on Wednesday.

Hundreds of social workers, NGOs, and students participated in the walk, which was led by the district Naib Nazim, Sukkur, Iqbal Dawood. It started from the general post office and after walking through various roads terminated at the Clock Tower.

Conservator of Forests Dr. Ghulam Rasool Kerio, DFO Imdad Khoro, EPA Regional In charge Waqar Phulpoto also participated in the walk.

Earlier, addressing a seminar at the auditorium of the Government B. Ed. College, several speakers stressed the need of controlling the ever-increasing pollution in Sindh.

Speaker Raza Bhatti of the Botany department, Shah Latif University, deplored the fact that forests were mostly occupied by influential people in the Nara Canal and called for their evacuation. He said that they were using the forest land for farming.

Dr Kerio said that the forest department had undertaken massive steps for the preservation of forests.

He said that the department earned Rs60 million annually from its forests, yet it was allocated a meagre fund to run its affairs.

Mr Dawood as the chief guest said that the district government would extend maximum support regarding plant protection in order to control pollution.

Mr Phulpoto said that proper check was being maintained to contain the industrial waste.