HYDERABAD, June 12: The members of the District Council and Taluka councils, Nazims, Naib Nazims and councillors of different union councils of the district observed a token hunger strike outside the Hyderabad Press Club for the second consecutive day on Thursday in protest against the withholding of Rs226 million of development funds under the ADP for Hyderabad district. They also blocked the road in front of the press club for two and a half hours.

The Sindh minister for Ushr, Zakat, Auqaf, Minorities and Religious Affairs, Dr Irfan Gul Magsi, who had remained the leader of the opposition in the District Council before he was elected as an MPA, also joined the protesters to express solidarity with them.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Irfan said that ADP funds would not be allowed to lapse, and added that transition funds would also be released.

He said that the Nazims of the union council were the linchpin of the entire system and they should not be ignored.

He said the Sindh chief minister, Sardar Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar, was striving hard to resolve the problems of the people, and added that he had already appraised him about the situation arising out of the non-release of funds.

He regretted the pathetic state of affairs prevailing in Hyderabad and invited a delegation of Nazims to meet with the chief minister and apprise him of their problems.

Dr Irfan disclosed that more funds would be allocated in the provincial budget for the development of the province.

He said the report sent by the authorities concerned to the Sindh government that no losses had occurred in Hyderabad last year during the rains was absolutely incorrect.

He said huge losses had taken place during the rains, and added that the provincial finance ministry had already released funds to cover the losses.

Speaking on the occasion, the Nazim, City Council, Haji Moinuddin Shaikh, severely criticized the provincial government for withholding funds saying that instead of paying lip service, the Sindh governor and chief minister should take practical steps for the development of the city.

Yousuf Qureshi, Yousuf Siddiqui, Hussain Bux Hussaini, and Dr Ayaz Arain also spoke.