SUKKUR, March 31: Sindh Minister for Population Welfare Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh has said that he and others in the provincial government have requested the prime minister to persuade Punjab to adopt positive attitude on the NFC award issue.
Talking to newsmen at circuit house here on Wednesday, he said that the principle stand of Sindh was that share of provinces in the divisible pool should be based on poverty and tax collection and not on population.
Mr Shaikh said that the principle stand of Sindh on the construction of the greater Thal canal and other water reservoirs should also be accepted and the province would not surrender its water rights.
He said that for just distribution of water, 1991 accord should be strictly implemented and the resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly in this connection must be honoured.
Answering another question, he said that no proposal was under consideration to make President Gen Pervez Musharraf head of the united Muslim League. Later speaking at a seminar on "Population and Development" organized by his department at a local hotel, the minister said that if the growth of population was not controlled, it would double after 31 years.
He appealed to Nazims and councillors, particularly the women, to come forward and extend help in controlling the population growth. He said that development of country depended upon the population welfare programme and keeping that in view, the government was considering to include the programme in syllabi of higher secondary level.
Mr Shaikh said that recruitment of women doctors was being carried for 41 family welfare centres in Sindh and recruitment of male mobilizers was also under way for effective running of the organization.
Earlier speaking at the seminar, Khairpur District Nazim Nafisa Shah proposed that population welfare department should be linked with health department for better performance.
She advised the population welfare department to motivate men besides women to achieve better results. She said that the target of family welfare could not be achieved till the government ready to invest in women's health and reduce poverty in the country.
Sukkur District Nazim Nasir Hussain Shah announced to undergo vasectomy to encourage family planning. Sindh population welfare secretary Mushtaq Memon gave a detailed briefing on the programme.
