18 February 2004	Wednesday	26 Zilhaj 1424

SUKKUR, Feb 17: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) took out a procession in Kandhkot on Tuesday to protest against rising crime and joblessness in Sindh, particularly in Kandhkot area, and the Kalabagh dam and Thal canal.

The participants also staged a sit in and blocked the Indus Highway for about two hours and finally converged at Ghanta Ghar CHowk where Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, Abdul Qayoom Halejvi, Haji Rasheed Ahmed and Dr A. G. Ansari delivered speeches.

They deplored that despite opposition from entire Sindh, the government was busy in constructing the Thal canal. They said that law and order situation was worsening day by day, obscenity was common and jobless youths were committing suicide but rulers had turned a deaf ear to the problems.

CHARAS SEIZED: The excise police recovered 15 maunds of Charas from a double cabin wagon on the National Highway near Tando Masti and arrested a smuggler, Izzatullah Khan, resident of Bajore agency. However, his three accomplices escaped after an exchange of fire with the police.