MIRPURKHAS: Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Universities and Boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said the government has approved a scheme for the establishment of a university in Mirpurkhas.

He said at a press conference here on Wednesday that the province used to have only 10 to 12 universities a few years back and students had to travel long distances to reach a university and stay in hostels or rented houses away from home for seeking higher education.

He said that to resolve the students’ problem, the government amended laws to save them from taking that much trouble and decided to provide them higher education at their doorsteps, hence it directed universities to establish at least two campuses in districts.

Shah Abdul Latif University, NED University and Sindh University implemented the decision and established campuses in Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas and five other districts, he said.

Khuhro criticised the prime minister and said that Imran Khan wanted to impose ban on public meetings and processions of political parties, which was unconstitutional because such a step could only be taken in an emergency.

He said that political parties had constitutional right to inform masses about the country’s financial condition and the problems being faced by common man.

He said that Imran Khan and his ministers had been speaking at public meetings before election in Gilgit-Baltistan with complete impunity but now he wanted to impose ban on political meetings and processions on the pretext of spread of coronavirus.

He said that Pakistan Democratic Movement had announced schedule of its meetings in the country and it would hold the gatherings according to schedule.

He said that the federal government’s ill-conceived policies had destroyed agriculture sector but Sindh government took a wise step and accepted farmers’ demand for fixing wheat support price at Rs2,000 per 40kg so that farmers could be saved from losses and price of flour could be maintained within affordable limit.

He accused the prime minister of bias towards provinces ruled by opposition parties and mocked federal government’s decision to reduce petrol price by just Re1. The federal government must have saved a lot by keeping fuel prices high but people knew that petrol price had dropped considerably in world market, he said.

Khuhro said that unbearable price hike had broken the back of poor labourers and peasants and snatched even two square meals from them.

MNA Shamim Ara Panhwar, former MNA Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, former MPA Khairunnisa Mughal, MPAs Meena Kumari and Gianchand were also present.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2020