March 11, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

HYDERABAD, March 10: National congress of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz held in Radhan, Dadu district, on Sunday paid tribute to the Punjab for its leading role in the struggle for independence of judiciary and said that it was for the first time that the Punjab had risen against dictatorship.

It observed that during the February 18 elections, the people of Sindh had unanimously voted against the Musharraf government due to his dictatorial and anti-Sindh polices.

It said that it was now the responsibility of elected members of the assemblies to come up to expectations of the masses and ameliorate their lot.

The congress called upon the new government to discard the Kalabagh dam project and announce a judicious National Finance Commission award according to international principles.

It demanded abolition of local bodies system, saying that it was a ‘conspiracy against national unity and development of Sindh.’

Announcing support to lawyers’ struggle, it called for reinstatement of sacked judges of superior judiciary.

The congress introduced some amendments to the JSM constitution and manifesto and observed two-minute silence on the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The congress was presided over by JSM convener Abdul Khaliq Junejo. Noted intellectual comrade Rochi Ram attended the congress as an observer. In his speech, he said that true democracy would remain a misnomer unless the constitution of the country was made secular.

MARCH: Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party activists staged a protest march from Ali Palace to the Hesco SDO office here on Monday to protest against inflated electricity bills, Hesco’s refusal to install meters and registration of false cases against the consumers.

Raising slogans against Hesco, the protesters staged a sit-in on the main road as a result vehicular traffic remained suspended for quite sometime.

Speaking on the occasion, Muzaffar Kalhoro, Sachal Gopang, Mehboob Abro and others said that highly inflated bills of electricity were being issued to the consumers of Qasimabad taluka who were also being implicated in false cases of power theft.

They said that no action was being taken against the big thieves living in posh bungalows and their dues were transferred to poor people.

They said that despite repeated requests since 2005, Hesco had not installed meters for obvious reasons. They said that if any consumer refused to pay bribe, an inflated bill was slapped on him.Qasimabad Taluka Naib Nazim Hyder Shahani and a heavy contingent of police rushed to the spot and persuaded the protesters to disperse.

Later, a delegation, led by the naib nazim, met with the SDO, who assured them that the problems of the consumers would be resolved.