HYDERABAD, Feb 8: The Institute of Sindh Affairs has demanded that elections for a constituent assembly be held to draft a new constitution for the country and the youth of Sindh be given representation in the army.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the meeting of the governing body of the institute held here on Thursday. Professor Liaquat Aziz presided over the meeting.

It decided to hold a seminar on "Pakistani state and national autonomy" at the Hyderabad Press Club on March 17 and invite leading politicians, intellectuals and leaders of public opinion to address the seminar.

Through other resolutions, the meeting demanded that Sindhi-speaking officers be appointed as chief secretary and inspector general of police of Sindh. It opposed the sale of two Karachi islands, construction of any dam on River Indus and demolition of Sindhi villages in Karachi.

The meeting demanded that development works in Hyderabad be completed without delay and the decision to cut the grant for universities of Sindh be rescinded.

It demanded that shortage of teachers, furniture, scientific equipment and books in educational institutions of Sindh be done away with. It called for uniformity in the pay scales of teachers and other government employees working in the rural and urban areas.

It demanded that education budget should be fixed at six per cent of the GDP and new education policy should be formulated on scientific and secular lines and provided constitutional protection.

The meeting demanded that a bridge be constructed on River Indus near Kotri to provided transportation facilities to the people.

Those who attended the meeting included Zafar Rajput, Atta Mohammad Bhambhro, Dr Khalil Qazi and Ali Baba.

IJT: Activists of Islami Jamiat-i-Tulaba staged a protest demonstration outside the press club on Thursday against desecration of Masjid-i-Aqsa by the Israelis.

Speaking on the occasion, IJT leader Hassan Bakhtiar said that a part of the holy mosque had been demolished by Israel but ‘coward’ rulers of Muslim countries were silent on the issue.

He said that under the patronage of America, Israel had unleashed inhuman atrocities against the Palestinian people and was bulldozing their houses with impunity.

He called on the rulers of Muslim countries to sever relations with Israel.