January 15, 2008	Tuesday	Muharram 05, 1429

NAWABSHAH, Jan 14: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association and Lower Staff Association on Monday boycotted academic activities at the Government Degree College in protest against the college principal accusing him of being involved in corrupt practices.

The protesters including Anwar Mansoor, Qasim Bhatti and Mohammad Aslam told journalists that the principal recalled the office superintendent who had been transferred in near past by the Prime Minister’s Inspection Team on charges of corruption.

They said that all the associations of the college had agreed that the office superintendent should not be allowed to resume the charge. They complained to the DCO about him who directed the director of colleges not to allow the official back, they said.

But despite their protest the principal allowed him to resume charge and do official work, they said and threatened to boycott examinations of the university if the officer was not removed immediately.

SHIA COUNCIL: Activists of Shia Ulema Council on Monday staged a demonstration outside the Murtazvi Imambargah in protest against load-shedding and poor sanitary conditions demanding an end to power cuts and cleaning of procession routes.

Council leaders Mohammad Hussain Chandio, Syed Ali Raza Shah and Akhtar Ali Siyal criticised the government for its failure to control electricity crisis. Load-shedding was at its peak even during the sacred month of Muharram, which was seriously hindering their activities, they complained.

They added that sanitary conditions on the routes to be taken by the processions were very poor and sewage overflow from gutters had made roads impassable at various places.

THIEVES KILLED: Villagers shot dead two alleged thieves after a brief exchange of fire in Idrees Machhi village near Doulatpur on Monday, said police.

Police said that the villagers chased the thieves after they spotted them stealing away goats. An exchange of fire took place between them near Saffan Patun in which the alleged thieves Lakhmir Machhi and Ishaque Machhi were killed.

The bodies were moved to Shahpur Jehanian hospital for post mortem.