24 May 2004	Monday	04 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KHAIRPUR, May 23: District Nazim Nafisa Shah has alleged that government machinery was used in the by-election of district Naib Nazim on May 22. Talking to reporters here on Saturday she alleged that some 200 councillors (voters) were pressurized and threatened with initiating inquiries against their relatives who worked in different government departments if they did not vote for the government-supported candidate.

She said that required results were obtained under coercion. Ms Shah said that in such a situation it was the moral victory of ADP supporters because of they stood firmly for their candidate.

She said that district officials were directed to create obstacles in the work of district administration. Nafisa Shah said that a few days prior to the by-elections water theft cases were registered against some 12 ADP supporters including Naib Nazim UC Pacca Chang and two councillors at the Faiz Ganj police station.

Expired pesticides: Officials of the agriculture department recovered expired pesticides and seeds from a godown in Bozdar Wada, Thari Mirwah taluka on Saturday.

The officials conducted a raid and seized some 140 litres of expired Stam, 200 litres of expired Isoprotron and expired seeds. They sealed the godown and sent samples of recovered items for laboratory tests.

Protest: Residents of about 20 villages continued their protest in Priyaloi town on Sunday and staged a demonstration against Hesco officials for disconnecting the power supply to their villages.

They told reporters that the Hesco subdivision Priyaloi officials had disconnected electricity to Dawood, Kheedo, Phul Wahan, Razi, and Kamal villages though they had paid their bills.

The protestors accused Hesco officials of disconnecting electricity because they refused to pay them bribe. They said that they had complained to officials concerned but they misbehaved with them instead of taking any action.