March 1, 2006	Wednesday	Muharram 30, 1427

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LARKANA, Feb 28: The Qambar-Shahdadkot District Council at its first session on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution rejecting the proposed construction of the Kalabagh dam and the NFC award on population basis.

Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh and Mohammad Punhal Soomro tabled the resolution.

The council unanimously adopted another resolution, tabled by Mohammad Jan Abid Brohi, condemning the publication of blasphemous cartoons and calling for severing diplomatic ties with and boycotting goods of countries where the caricatures had been published.

The meeting also approved the district budget of Rs1,151.15 million for 2005-2006.

An amount of Rs955.307 has been allocated for non-development expenditures and Rs195.843 million for carrying out development schemes in the district. A sum of Rs36.343 million has been fixed for new schemes in communication, health and education sectors. The Citizens Community Board has been allocated Rs9 million for completing different development schemes in the district.

Speaking at the session, District Nazim Qambar-Shahdadkot Nawab Shabbir Ahmad Chandio said the new district had been created on demands of people and it was now the duty of the district government to make it a prosperous district. He paid tribute to four people who had died during the struggle for creating the new district.

He said maintaining law and order was priority of his government.

He said neglected areas of Warah, Qubo Saeed Khan and the Kohistan belt of the district needed special attention.

The nazim said majority of people of the district did not have safe drinking water facility.

He said a huge amount had been allocated in the 2005-2006 budget for education, health and drinking water sectors.

He said schemes in this regard had been approved by the District Development Working Committee which would be presented in the council soon.

He said there was a shortage of staff, infrastructure and resources in the district.

He regretted that some people had occupied properties in the district.

He pledged to vacate the properties and remove encroachments in the district.

The nazim announced Rs100,000 to heirs of an adult and Rs50,000 to heirs of a child who had died of gastroenteritis last year in Kachho.

Earlier, the council elected Mohammad Jan Brohi, Ghulam Mustafa Shaikh and Mohammad Puhal Soomro on the panel of presiding officers and Abdul Khaliq Massan was elected the chief whip of the council.

Convener Atta Hussain Junejo presided over the session.

KILLED: Two people were killed on Tuesday by armed men in Garilo, some 40 kilometres off here, over an old matrimonial dispute.

The armed men opened fire on Arbab Ali Jatoi and Bagan Jatoi while they were taking tea at a roadside hotel in the town. Bagan died on the spot and Arbab Ali succumbed to his injuries in the Chandka Medical College Hospital.

On a compliant of Bashir Jatoi, brother of the deceased Bagan, police registered an FIR against Mohammad Jatoi, Rafiq Jatoi, Rajib Jatoi and Jaro Jatoi.

Meanwhile, two people were killed and 10 were injured when a vehicle hit a rickshaw on the Qubo Saeed Khan bypass on Tuesday.

Those killed were identified as Ali Mohammad Chandio, 45, and Afsana, 4. The injured included Dost Ali, Farzana, Majida, Rehana, Suleman, Ali Hassan, Abdul Karim and Mirza Bakhsh.

Later, area residents blocked the road to protest against the incident.