HYDERABAD, Feb 1: Indian-born US filmmaker and freelance journalist Sarah Singh arrived here on Thursday, visited the Institute of Sindhology, interviewed veteran intellectual Ibrahim Joyo and left for Bhit Shah.
The activities were part of her work on a documentary on the cultural and archaeological history of India and Pakistan she is planning to exhibit at the Kara Film Festival in December this year.
A brief talk with her showed that she feels at home in Pakistan and believes that the country is not as unsafe as the world generally believes.
Ms Singh has visited Umerkot and Moenjodaro, an archaeological site near Larkana, and so far recorded interviews of around 15 prominent personalities in Punjab and Sindh.
While recording Mr Joyo’s detailed interview, she asked several questions to seek his views on how the sub-continent was divided and what kind of situation existed in Karachi when Pakistan was created in 1947.
Mr Joyo told her about the division of Bengal and said that migration from either side was not envisaged in the original plan of the subcontinent’s division.
About the earlier leg of her visit to Pakistan, she said: "When I visited Punjab in Pakistan, I found myself in my own family." She added that she had been treated well wherever she went.
Ms Singh said that Pakistan had great cultural attraction for visitors, including tourists and historians.
She is very keen to know about Indus Civilisation which she said was the oldest one of the three ancient civilisations of the world.
She is a state guest and is being provided security by district administration.
Ms Singh, who is the cousin of Indian Punjab’s Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh, was born in Indian but has spent most of her life in America.
COURT: Sindh High Court Hyderabad circuit bench on Thursday ordered the Director-General Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to submit his comments regarding Manchhar Lake and its rehabilitation and to ensure supply of safe drinking water to the people living in the city and its vicinity.
The EPA official, who appeared in court, sought time to file his report.
The Additional Advocate-General (AAG) Sindh Masood A.Noorani, supplied him all the relevant material and documents of the case for his study. The court directed him to finalise his comments and recommendations by February 15 when the court would take up the matter again.
Petitioner's counsel Advocate Taj Mohammad Kaimkhani submitted that the heirs of three deceased, Ahsan Guddi and Devo were compensated by the EDO revenue, Hyderabad in the light of court's directives passed on last date of hearing.
Reports of Dr M. Y. Khuhawar (SI), Dean faculty of natural sciences, and professor analytical chemistry, Dr Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui of National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, have already been submitted before the court through the AAG, Sindh.
Three public interest litigations were filed in 2004 when the city was hit by water crisis following supply of contaminated water by Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) which was released from Manchhar Lake into the River Indus through Aral Wah.
LAKHRA POWER PLANT: The court adjourned hearing in two separate constitutional petitions, involving questions of privatisation of Lakhra Power Plant to February 19 after counsels for the petitioners, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Abdul Majeed Pirzada and counsel for Wapda Shahid Hamid did not appear as they were busy in the Supreme Court. The court adjourned the case with the consent of the parties.
Abdul Hafeez Pirzada is representing Habibullah Energy Limited (HEL), while Abdul Mujeeb Pirzada is appearing on behalf of Mazhar Ali Mallah and Punhal Jamali, the chairman and secretary of the Zonal Labour Union, respectively.
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