HYDERABAD, Jan 17: The district and sessions judge on Tuesday observed that the court itself would cross-examine Wasa and HDA officials if the counsel of a complainant in a case did not do so.

He was holding a judicial inquiry into the death of a one and half year old boy, Bakhat Ali Lashari, in an open manhole in Qasimabad on Nov 6.

The judge, Zaheeruddin S. Leghari, expressed concern that Wasa authorities had not covered manholes although they had stated in the court that the work would be completed by April 27, 2005.

He recorded a statement of Mohammad Usman, a sessions court official, who produced a file of another human rights application, filed by advocate Sarfaraz Ali, against the HDA director-general.

According to these documents, the district government had published gallop tenders in newspapers on April 9, 2005, and a survey in three talukas of the district had found 640 manholes uncovered.

The court adjourned the matter for Jan 24.

UNIVERSITY: Sindh University vice-chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui has called upon heads of institutes and departments to make optimal use of available space and facilities for higher education.

He said was visiting various departments of faculties of arts, social sciences and Islamic studies of the university on Tuesday.

He said all facilities and space belonged to the university and its students and we must make joint efforts for its optimal use for benefit of students.

He said that at the time of accommodating additional batch in the university teachers made collective efforts for enrolment of additional batch.

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