10 August 2004	Tuesday	23 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has expressed concern over reports that the regional office of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) in Larkana is being closed down.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, she said the move would cause innumerable hardships to the consumers, and asked the government to reverse this 'anti-people' and 'anti-labour' decision.

She said the SSGC office in Larkana was opened by the PPP government in 1994 to meet a long-standing demand of the consumers and people of Larkana. She said the closure of the office would not only cause inconvenience to the consumers, but also cause loss of employment opportunities to the people.

Ms Bhutto said it was the responsibility of the rulers to provide facilities and jobs to the people rather cut down on the facilities already provided and snatching jobs from them.

She called for reinstatement of employees of SSGC who, she said, had been sacked illegally after the dismissal of the PPP government in 1996. It is the height of injustice that serving and retired and military officers were being inducted into civil jobs, while the civilians were being thrown out and the offices closed down, she said.