14 March 2004	Sunday	22 Muharram 1425

HYDERABAD, March 13: The Sunni Tehrik held protest demonstrations outside the circuit house where secretary food was holding a press conference and outside the press club.

They were protesting against the wheat flour crisis and failure of the Sindh government to overcome it.

They carried placards and banners inscribed with different slogans. They also burnt an empty gunny bag as symbol of shortage of flour.

Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Qadri said the government had miserably failed in eliminating flour shortages and controlling prices.

Meanwhile, Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo criticized the Sindh government for failing to overcome what he called an artificial crisis of wheat flour in Sindh.

In a statement issued here, he said that on the one hand crops in the province had been destroyed due to water shortage and, on the other, wheat was being hoarded by unscrupulous persons.

He deplored that millions of people were being held hostages in the hands of a few black marketers and the government was witnessing the scene as a spectator.

He said that the people were committing suicides due to unemployment and hunger and added that in view of the prevailing situation, the government should either take steps on war footings to rectify the situation or resign.

PPP: People's Party Parliamentarian provincial chief Nisar Khuhro here on Saturday constituted a board to select party-backed candidates for the local bodies' by-elections in Hyderabad district.

The by-elections are to be held on March 28 for the posts of Nazims, Naib Nazims and councillors of different councils.

According to party MPA Zahid Bhurgari, the board

comprises Pervez Ahmed Ansari, Moula Bux Chandio, Amir Ali Shah Jamote Shugufta Jumani, Nuzhat Pathan, Fahreen Mughal, himself and others.