18 February 2004	Wednesday	26 Zilhaj 1424

SUKKUR, Feb 17: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has directed district governments of the province to chalk out plans for maintaining peace during Muharram.

The chief minister issued teh directive during a meeting with District Naib Nazim Iqbal Dawood here on Tuesday. Mr Mahar said that people of Sindh had always demonstrated a sense of sectarian harmony and emphasized the need to maintain the spirit with the help of Ulema and Zakireen.

The chief minister said that protecting the life and honour of the people was the top most priority of the administration, and warned that if anybody failed in this regard, he would be responsible for the consequences.

Stressing the need for tolerance and accommodation, he directed the Sukkur district government to take steps to foil any bid to create a trouble during Muharram with the assistance of the police and other law-enforcing agencies.

The chief minister was informed about the progress on development projects initiated by the district government in the current financial year. Later the CM left for his hometown Ghotki where he exchanged views with delegations of notables and Nazims.

He called upon them to cooperate with the government in wiping out corruption from society. The chief minister remarked that his government was committed to carry on reforms in all spheres of life.

He expressed the hope that the establishment of a medical college in Sukkur and an engineering and a cadet college in Ghotki would usher an educational revolution in the area. He said that the area had been neglected in the past but the government was now making efforts to develop it.