February 29, 2008	Friday	Safar 21, 1429

SUKKUR, Feb 28: Police have registered a case against Ghotki SPO Aijaz Memon on charges of robbery and keeping five villagers in illegal detention. The case was registered on Thursday by Ghotki police.

Sher Mohammad Mahar, resident of War Daro village, through his lawyer Abdul Qadir Shaikh filed a petition in Sindh High Court Bench, Sukkur two week back stating that on January 28, he and four others Karim Bux, Rahim Bux, Mocharo and Muhabat, were on way in a tractor trolley when SPO Ghotki Aijaz Memon, who at that time was the SHO at Khanpur Mahar police station, along with a police party, stopped them, snatched Rs272,000 and kept them in illegal detention for five to six hours.

He said they demonstrated but justice was not provided to them.

The single bench of the high court consisting Justice Dr Rana Mohammad Shamim ordered Ghotki police to register a case against the SPO Ghotki Aijaz Memon.

Following court orders and on the complaint of Sher Mohammad Mahar, Khanpur Mahar police registered an FIR but no arrest was made.

Earlier on February 12, an FIR was registered against the said officer at Khanpur Mahar police station, on the alleged charges of killing a villager Babul Gadani in fake encounter in the first week of February, but instead of facing any action, he was promoted as the SPO.

Tenders rejected: Tenders for 30 development projects worth millions of rupees for Sukkur city have been rejected for third consecutive time raising fears the allocated amount might lapse resulting into cancellation of projects.

Following efforts taken by the Taluka Council Sukkur, the

Governor and government of Sindh allocated Rs250 million in first phase as part of Rs500 million for 30 mega projects, including constructing roads, drainage and water supply schemes, and renovation of parks. Tenders for same were rejected third consecutive time on Wednesday.

In this connection, project director Ghulam Asghar Wagan said tenders were called from contractors according to the Public Procurement Rules Authority, but 90 per cent contractors did not come up to the requirements of PPRA, therefore tenders were rejected and would be reissued shortly.

He further said the PPRA-2004, require the contractor to be registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council.

He said the development works would be carried out in a planned way by keeping in view the quality of work to fully utilize huge funds, allocated by the Sindh government and added if in future no contractor fulfilled the requirement of PPRA, then the Sindh government would be informed in writing to resolve the issue.

On the other hand, councilors belonging to Awam Dost panel of PPPP including, Deedar Magsi, Mumtaz Mirani, Abdul Majeed Malik and others blamed the Taluka Council of wishing to give contracts of these mega projects to their near and dear ones.

They alleged the Taluka Nazim Naeem Siddiqui wanted to give contracts on favoritism and nepotism for his own vested interests which could result into the failure of mega project.

Taluka Nazim Naeem Siddiqui brushing aside the allegations said he had nothing to do with contracts as the project director was in-charge of it. election petition dismissed: The Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, while dismissing the petition of PPP candidate for PS-30 (Khairpur-II) Syed Bachal Shah who had claimed in his petition that polls in his constituency were rigged, directed him to take his case to the election tribunal in Karachi.

On Tuesday, the SHC Sukkur bench comprising of justice Dr Rana Mohammad Shamim and Justice Syed Pir Ali Shah granted status quo on PS-30 Khairpur-II (Kingri) and issued notices to Syed Bachal Shah, Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi of PML-F, district returning officer, returning officer, Election Commission of Pakistan, additional advocate-general of Sindh and deputy attorney-general of Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, to appear before the court on Feb 28, to give their comments.

The division bench had issued these orders on the petition filed by Syed Bachal Shah through his lawyer. On Thursday, due to the boycott of lawyers, the petitioner, Syed Bachal Shah, appeared before the court in person. The court dismissed his petition and ordered him to take up the case with the election tribunal in Karachi.