19 May 2004	Wednesday	28 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, May 18: Provincial Minister for Literacy and Education, Irfanullah Marwat has held chairman, Sindh Textbook Board responsible for the delay in publication and non- availability of textbooks in the province.

Presiding over a meeting at his office on Tuesday, he said it was the inefficiency of chairman STB that caused the delay. Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Pasha was also present.

The meeting discussed a report on the issue presented by secretary STB, however, it noted that the board's chairman had been misleading the education department by concealing the factual position on the subject.

" Delay in availability of books owing to inefficiency of the chairman has affected the academic process besides bringing a bad name to the education department," the minister said, adding that stern action would be taken against the said person for causing such a loss.

The minister also directed the 3-member inquiry committee, appointed on April 17, 2004, to submit its report on the issue, identifying the officials involved in the delay of books so that necessary action could be taken against them.

It may be recalled that the Sindh Education Department had constituted a committee comprising Additional Secretary Education Iqbal Hussain Durani, Prof Muhammad Ilyas Soomro, Additional Director, SEMIS and Muhammad Saghir, Senior Instructor, PITE, Nawabshah to probe the causes of delay of books and submit a report in two weeks, however, the committee failed to furnish the report even after a month.

The minister stated at the meeting that action would also be taken if any member of the inquiry committee presented misleading reports. It may be mentioned that Mushtaque Qureshi was posted as chairman STB vide notification of the Sindh Services and General Administration Department dated Oct 11, 2003 and Irfanullah Marwat through a letter to the chief minister and chief secretary dated Oct 13, 2003 had opposed the posting, which according to him was made without consulting him and secretary of the department.

He had also refused to accept Mr Qureshi as chairman STB and had requested the CM to withdraw his notification. -PPI