April 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1429

HYDERABAD, April 15: Around 128 poor interns of Hyderabad district were running from pillar to post for the past two months to get their stipends of Rs10,000 after being inducted in different government departments of Hyderabad district.

Around 522 people were appointed as interns in Hyderabad district under the National Internship Programme announced by President Pervez Musharraf last year.

The DCOs concerned of the district were authorised to depute them in any government department for one year. Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) referred the interns in each district. They were appointed in groups in various departments here.

The salaries of around 394 interns, out of 522 of Hyderabad, were released by the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) to district accounts officer (DAO) for the month of January and February.

The remaining 128, which include teachers, have not been paid salaries for two months. They approached to the DAO for payment but in vain.

On the other hand the 394 interns were not given stipend for the month of March.

A DAO official said these interns arrived in Hyderabad in batches and were divided into different groups. The AGPR office in Karachi was informed by local DAO officials about the situation and the latter were informed that they have released the salaries of those interns whose lists were furnished to them by S&GAD.

“The AGPR says they are not concerned with those whose lists are not provided to them by S&GAD,” said the source while quoting AGPR. The source added that it appeared that more interns had reported in Hyderabad district than the number contained in lists provided to the AGPR by the S&GAD.