25 April 2004	Sunday	04 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

HYDERABAD, April 24: Sindh Minister for Population Welfare Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh has said that Sindh government has not budged on its demand of 50 per cent share for provinces in divisible pool under the seventh National Finance Commission award.

Talking to journalists at a local hotel here on Saturday, he expressed the hope that the share of Sindh would increase in the next NFC award and other issues would be settled through a consensus among all the provinces.

Mr Shaikh claimed that general sales tax had been taken out of the divisible pool and given to the provinces.

He said that the issue of the Greater Thal canal had been raised at different forums and the president had assured the Sindh government that no injustice would be done to Sindh.

He said that two committees, headed by Sindhi-speaking people, had been constituted on the water issue and people of Sindh should wait for the findings of these committees.

He said that no change of government was expected in Sindh and no more ministries were being given to anyone right now.

However, he said that if the size of cabinet was increased, his group would approach the Sindh government to seek more miniseries as had been promised.

Terming the murder of People's Party Parliamentarians MPA Abdullah Murad a blind case, he said that a commission was conducting an investigation into it and the treasury benches of the Sindh Assembly had also denounced the murder.

Answering a question, he denied that any solid evidence regarding underworld's involvement in Karachi was found. He said that some incidents of violence and murders had taken place in Karachi and other parts of the province but the situation was improving, adding that total control of terrorism was not possible in any part of the world.

Referring to a bill on Karo-kari, he said that it would be tabled in the Sindh Assembly by the government and expressed the hope that opposition benches would also lend their support to put an end to the black custom.

The minister was all praise for a historic decision of the Sindh High Court announced on Friday, banning jirga system in the province.

He said that jirga system could be gradually abolished. He, however, said that minor issues could be decided by jirgas given the nature of judicial system of the country but heinous crimes should not be handled by jirgas.

Underscoring the need for judicial reforms, the minister remarked that since the people did not get expeditious and inexpensive justice, they had recourse to tribal jirgas to get their disputes settled.

He said unless there was a less expensive and expeditious judicial system, the problems would not be resolved.