August 16, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 13, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 15: The decision to hand over affairs of provincial educational boards to the Sindh government on the pattern of the rest three provinces, has been lauded by the central leadership of the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association.

Earlier, the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Education Minister, Pir Mazharul Haq and the entire Sindh Cabinet had announced this decision.

Prof Liaquat Aziz, Prof Riaz Ehsan, Prof Mohammad Siddique Unnar, Prof Yaqoob Chandio and other leaders in s statement issued on Friday said that this was a long standing demand of the SPLA.

They also demanded replacing the retired officials appointed on contract basis with the in-service professors, along with filing vacant posts in Grade 18, 19 and 20 through promotions and confirmation of ad-hoc lecturers.

Refuting reports of opposition by some professors regarding the transfer of boards, Liaquat Aziz said that the SPLA since 1986 had been consistently and unanimously demanding this.

How can any professor oppose it as the rest three of three provinces were working under their respective governments, he enquired.