LARKANA, Nov 20: Pakistan Muslim League general secretary Mushahid Hussain Sayyed has said the donors’ conference in Islamabad is a big success and criticized the opposition for not attending it.

Mr Hussain who is here on a visit, was talking to journalists.

He said it appeared illogical that the opposition did not attend the conference although the government had accepted all its demands.

He said it was a mistake on the part of the opposition to stay away from the conference.

The PML leader said the response of donors was tremendous and added that President Gen Musharraf had assured utilization of funds in a transparent manner.

He said the process would be made transparent at all levels and added that donors could also monitor it in earthquake-affected areas.

The parliament would discuss it, he said.

Mr Hussain held meetings with Qambar-Shahdadkot District Nazim Nawab Shabbir Ahmad Chandio, Sindh Minister Altaf Unnar and PML leaders.

He claimed that the PPP had not served Larkana despite remaining in power.

He said the recent local body polls had showed that Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts which had been strongholds of the PPP were now PML-majority districts.

He said the PML had won seats of district nazims of the two districts which spoke of weakening of popularity of the PPP in the area.

ASV: The district government will import anti-snake venom and anti-rabies vaccine to treat snakebite and dog-bite cases in the district.

Speaking at a seminar on “Awareness for religious leaders and notables about polio eradication and routine immunization” here on Sunday, Larkana Taluka Nazim Qurban Abbasi said each taluka administration would contribute Rs100,000 towards pool money as its share and the health department would officially purchase the medicines.

The local health department and Unicef had jointly organized the seminar.

The nazim asked religious leaders, elected representatives, social workers, teachers and students to play their role in making the three-day anti-polio drive a success, starting in Larkana on Nov 22.

Health EDO Dr Noor Ahmad Khoso told the seminar that 522,000 children up to five years of age would be administrated anti-polio drops in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts.

He appealed to people of rural areas to vaccinate their children against polio.

WHO representatives Dr Nima Abid and Dr Yahiya Mustafa and Larkana Camber of Commerce and Industries president Azam Shaikh also spoke on the occasion.