14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, May 13: The supplier party, which had entered into an agreement with the Sindh Textbook Board for the import and supply of paper for printing of textbooks , has said that it should be heard by the body conducting a probe into the causes of the recent book crisis.

The supplier claims that he has valid facts and evidence to establish before the probe committee that the entire responsibility for the situation rested solely with the STB.

In the wake of the book crisis, the Sindh Education department had formed a committee in mid-April, headed by Additional Secretary (Education) Iqbal Durrani, to determine the causes of the delay in supply of textbooks.

The textbooks, meant to be distributed free of cost among the students, are yet to be released to the districts concerned in any meaningful quantity. Insiders attribute the repeated failure of the STB in providing the books in question to the decision of importing paper from Indonesia and entering into a 'flawed' agreement with the supplier.

Talking to Dawn on behalf of the supplier, Asif Jamil said that he had already requested the probe committee to give the supplier an opportunity to present its case and related documents as well.

"It is our clear contention that the inordinate delay in the clearance of the consignments from the port, causing heavy demurrage and other charges, happened totally on account of the instructions and action of the STB, which was trying to get exemptions from different duties," he said.