September 29, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 28, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 28: Muttahi-da Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has demanded that the Sindh government immediately revoke the decision of handing over the management of Raana Liaquat Ali Khan College of Home Economics and Khatoon-i-Pakistan College to a trust or non-governmental organisation.

Opposing the notification whereby the control of both colleges had been given to an NGO for running its affairs, the MQM chief urged the Sindh governor and the chief minister to immediately withdraw the notification and bring an end to the distress caused to the students and teachers of both the institutions.

In a hard-hitting statement issued here on Sunday, Mr Hussain warned that if any of the two colleges were handed over to a trust or were privatized, the MQM would not only oppose it but would also launch a “strong people’s protest” against it and the Sindh government and officials of the provincial education department would be held responsible for the situation.

Terming the Sindh government’s decision of giving the control of the management of these two colleges to an NGO and its planning of privatising other colleges of the city ‘unjust’ and ‘unacceptable’, he said it was beyond one’s comprehension that why the government had decided to hand over the control of the colleges when both institutions were imparting best education to girl students of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, teaching and non-teaching activities will remain suspended in all colleges of the city on Monday to protest against the government’s decision of handing over the management of both the colleges to an NGO.