September 26, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 13, 1428

HYDERABAD, Sept 25: The Servants of Sindh Society (SSS) has criticised the allotment of 73,000 acres of fertile agricultural land in Salehpat, Sukkur, to Pakistan Army to set up a firing range and claimed that the land was meant for distribution among landless peasants of the area.

The leaders of the society who met on Tuesday said the fertile and cultivable land could have created employment opportunities and provided sustenance to some 4,000 families of the district.

They demanded that the agriculture lands, which the government had allotted for similar non-productive purposes to various agencies should be distributed among local farmers to provide them livelihood and help contribute to the general socio-economic good of the province.

They expressed disappointment over the allotment of large chunks of land by the Board of Revenue and the government of Sindh to big businessmen and land mafia on both sides of the Super Highway and National Highway.

The government should cancel such allotments and hand over the land to poor peasants to enable them to earn their livelihood, they urged.

The government should also provide them all the facilities required for the cultivation and plan small projects for the poor people with all the financial and technical help, it added.

The leaders lashed out at the appointments made to various posts in the urban areas of Sindh and alleged that the government had not followed the job quota according to the agreed formula and reminded the governments of Sindh and Pakistan that it was a clear violation of the Constitution and rights of people.

“This is a wanton injustice and an open fraud being done to the rural population of the province,” they remarked.