DADU, Sept 13: The leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, has that said due to government policies, around 2.2 million acres of land have turned barren and the agricultural system of the province has been destroyed.

He was speaking at the 21st death anniversary of nine workers of the Pakistan People's Party, who were killed during the Movement for Restoration of Democracy, at the community centre in Khairpur Nathan Shah here on Sunday.

Mr Khuhro said that through a conspiracy, chairmen of standing and technical committees on water were nominated from Sindh. He said that induction of Liaquat Jatoi in the federal cabinet as the minister for water and power was a part of the conspiracy to pave the way for construction of the Kalabagh dam.

He recalled that President Gen Musharraf had termed some members of the Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali cabinet corrupt but they had been again appointed ministers. Questioning the fairness of the recent by-election in Tharparkar, the PPP leader said Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim secured 75,000 votes when he contested from the constituency but Shaukat Aziz bagged 150,000 votes.

Among others, MPA Qazi Shafiq Ahmad Mahessar, Qambar Ali Khan Leghari, Bashir Ahmad Bughio, Abdul Hakeem, Liaquat Ali Khoso, Noor Mohammad Chandio and Ghulam Rasool Gorar paid tribute to the party workers killed during the MRD.Later, Quran Khwani was held for the workers. The PPP-SB also organized a programme in Khairpur Nathan Shah in this connection.

WATER SHORTAGE: Farmers of Johi held a protest demonstration on the Dadu-Johi road on Monday against shortage of water in the Johi Branch. They were led by Sindh Millat Party MPA Dr Manzoor Ahmad Leghari and Johi Abadgar Association chairman Ghulam Qadir Rind.