24 April 2004	Saturday	03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

HYDERABAD, April 23: A central leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, MNA Dr Allama Abdul Khair Mohammad Zubair, has said MMA central vice president Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi has nothing to do with the murder of Maulana Azam Tariq.

Speaking at a reception at Qadamgah Maula Ali here on Friday to celebrate the release of Allama Naqvi, he said the Allama was implicated in a false case to create a rift in the party.

He claimed that the Allama was offered freedom on condition of disassociating himself from the MMA and leaving the country or abandoning political activities, but he rejected the proposal.

Allama Zubair demanded that the government should withdraw the false case against Allama Naqvi. During the reception, several resolutions were adopted, condemning the killings of Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Sheikh Abdul Aziz by the Israel government.

Moreover, Muslim rulers were called upon to unite on a single platform against anti-Islam forces. In another resolution, the gathering demanded that the government should implement the Hyderabad development package and take immediate steps to control inflation and unemployment in the country.

Frequent power breakdowns on the pretext of technical faults were also criticized and the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company was warned to improve its efficiency. Lauding the services of the district administration, the police and the Rangers during the month of Moharram, the religious leaders pledged to celebrate Eid Milladun Nabi in a peaceful and befitting manner.

CALAMITY DECLARATION: The provincial revenue department secretary has notified that three Dehs of Matiari taluka, including Lakhisar, Bhidrri and Luthrioon, have been declared calamity-hit.

He said remission in land tax and local cess had been allowed under the directives of the chief minister owing to a breach in the Rohri Canal that occurred on July 28, 2002, and damaged crops.

TRAFFIC FLOW: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman has constituted a committee to prepare a plan to ensure smooth flow of road traffic in the city. The committee comprises taluka Nazims of Hyderabad city, Latifabad and Qasimabad; Hyderabad Development Authority Building Control director and representatives of the traffic police.

It has been assigned to decide the setting-up of signals, declaring various routes one-way, and also assess fitness of vehicles to bring traffic under administrative control, facilitate pedestrians and check pollution.

POLIO CAMPAIGN: Provincial health minister Naeem Ishtiaque has extended the ongoing anti-polio campaign up to April 25 throughout the province. In this regard, Mr Ishtiaque directed health EDOs on Friday to keep polio cells open 24 hours a day and warned that no negligence in duty would be tolerated.

He also appealed to parents to ensure that their children up to five years of age were administered polio drops.

ROUTE PERMIT: District Regional Transport Authority secretary notified here on Friday that the authority was considering sanction of a route permit from Karachi to Nagarparkar through the Super Highway.