28 August 2004	Saturday	11 Rajab 1425

HYDERABAD, Aug 27: Hesco chief executive Syed Adeebul Hassan Rizvi has announced a relief package for consumers whose power supply was cut five years ago on permanent basis for non-payment of bills.

He said power supply to these defaulters would be restored and new connections would be given to them if they paid 50 per cent of their dues, adding that the remaining 50 per cent would be waived.

The Hesco chief said Rs694.208 million had been outstanding against 44,665 consumers whose electricity supply was disconnected. He appealed to the defaulters to take advantage of the relief package and approach Hesco officials concerned to get their power connections restored.

However, Mr Rizvi made it clear that this facility would not be extended beyond Dec 31 and warned that thereafter, legal action would be taken against defaulters for recovery of full dues.

JSSF: The Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, on the instruction of party chairman Bashir Qureshi, here on Thursday called off the JSQM's hunger strike after 28 days and decided to stage a sit-in on the Hyderabad bypass on Sept 7.

JSQM activists have been protesting against the delay in the arrest of killers of party leader Gul Mohammad Bhatti. The party decided to block the bypass road on Sept 7. The Jeay Sindh Students Federation's district body at a meeting held here also chalked out protest programmes in different towns.

DEGREES AWARDED: The advanced studies and research board of the University of Sindh on Friday awarded six Ph.D and eight M.Phil degrees to research scholars.

In its 78th meeting, the board took various decisions to encourage research activities in the university. Sindh University vice-chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui presided over the meeting.

The board in the light of reports by examiners approved the award of six Ph.D degrees to Mohammad Yousuf in pharmacy, Shamroze Bano (analytical chemistry), Taj Mohammad Jahangir (chemistry), Prof Murad Khatoon Panhwar (economics), Prof Chand Bibi Sultana (Pakistan studies) and Prof Yasmin Iqbal (health and physical education).

It also awarded M.Phil degrees to Jabbar Pirzado (botany), Nasreen Thebo (botany), Bilqees Fatima (zoology), Wazir Ali (zoology), Jiyauddin Khan (pharmacy), Atiya Abro (analytical chemistry), Gul Afsheen Soomro (analytical chemistry) and Azhar Ali Shah (information technology).