SHIKARPUR, Nov 4: Larkana Commissioner Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo heard objections to new delimitation in Shikarpur district at the DC office here on Monday.

The commissioner told journalists after the meeting that the delimitation had been carried out by revenue officers under the supervision of deputy commissioner in light of existing rules.

All stakeholders had been taken into confidence over the process. In all, 84 petitions had been filed which were discussed in the presence of petitioners, he said.

He said that deputy commissioner of Shikarpur, Aziz Ahmed Barlaas, had proposed a municipal committee with 30 wards and 54 union councils and six town committees for the district, including Garhiyasin town with six UCs, Madeji town with five UCs, Lakhi town with seven UCs, Chack town with six UCs and Rustam town with three UCs.

Mr Mangnejo assured the petitioners of addressing their objections keeping in view ground realities and the provisions of the local government law.

A final decision on delimitation would be taken by Nov 9 in the larger interest of people of the areas to be able to hold LG election in a free, fair and transparent manner on Nov 27, he said.

Assistant commissioners, MPA Shaharyar Khan Mahar, former district nazim of Shikarpur Mohammad Arif Khan Mahar, PPP leader Agha Maseehuddin Khan, Zafar Ali Shaikh and petitioners participated in the meeting.

Badin cases

Hyderabad division commissioner, Jamal Mustfa Syed, heard appeals filed against new delimitation in Badin district at the mukhtiarkar office on Monday.

The commissioner arrived at 5 pm and could hardly hear 13 out of 42 appeals, which mostly pertained to creation of new union councils, merger of old UCs into new ones.

Many appellants complained the delimitation process had been carried out haphazardly. Complainants Raza Mohammad Khoso and Pir Hamid Ali Shah said that UC Pangrio was the second largest town of Tando Bago taluka, which had remained a UC since 1960.

Pangrio had 8,000 population and it deserved to be upgraded to a town but unfortunately the UC was instead merged with Saman Sarkar and included in a newly created UC Buxoo Lund, they said and demanded either it be upgraded or kept intact as a UC.

Mohammad Ismail Mahery said that deh Sheikhano had been excluded from UC Tarai and merged into UC Rahuki, which would force voters to cover at least 25 kilometres to cast their votes.

Murtaza Nizamani said that deh Kandar Jagir had been excluded from UC Tarai and merged into UC Gharo, which would compel voters to cover 20 km for exercising votes.

Several appellants from Matli taluka raised voice against changes in existing UCs and termed them anti-people.

They said that deh Baambhiyani was unnecessary excluded from UC Malhan and merged into UC Phalkara. It should be included in newly created UC Ghulam Mohammad Halepoto, they suggested.

Mirpurkhas hearing

Mirpurkhas commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Phull heard on Monday objections over new delimitation of the district at his office.

Assistant commissioner Nisar Memon said that a total of 130 objections had been filed in the district over the preliminary proposed delimitation mostly of Mirpurkhas taluka.

Mr Memon said that necessary documents and maps were also provided by the appellants and said that decisions on the appeals would be given after a week.

The objections against preliminary delimitation of Sanghar would be heard on Nov 5 at 9 am and hearing of appeals for Umerkot district and Tharparkar delimitation would be held on Nov 6 at 9 am at the commissioner’s office.