HYDERABAD, March 5: Leaders of various political parties and students organizations have stressed the need for doing away with negative politics in the educational institutions.

They also urged the people of Sindh to unite on one platform for launching a consistent struggle for their rights and survival of Sindh. They were speaking at a seminar "March 4 and Students Struggle" organized by the Sindh National Students Front on Thursday.

March 4, 1967 marks the day on which Sindh's students had launched movement against the dictatorial regime of Gen Ayub Khan. Sindh Democratic Party chairman and one of the March 4 leaders Yousuf Leghari, advocate, said students' struggle had heralded a movement for the rights of Sindh.

He regretted that the Sindhi nation had all but forgotten the sacrifices of the people who fought against the military ruler. Mr Leghari urged the students to educate the Sindhi masses about the objectives of Sindh's movement for its due status. He said the problems faced by Sindh today were far greater than it had to face during the One Unit.

People's Party Parliamentarians leader Jam Saqi, who was also in the forefront of students' struggle, recollected that at least 207 students were injured on March 4, 1967 when their procession was attacked by the police in Hyderabad.

He said at that time the landed gentry and spiritual leaders of Sindh were sitting in the lap of military despot Ayub Khan. He claimed the incident of March 4 had created awakening among the people of Sindh.

Mr Saqi said during the rule of Z. A. Bhutto, March 4 was observed for some years as the "Day of Democracy". Awami Tehrik general secretary Abrar Qazi said the day had brought about many changes in the politics of Sindh.

He called upon the students to protect their educational institutions against all negative tendencies. Sindh National Council leader Hussain Bux Thebo said students' struggle was a first major step against the Ayub dictatorship in the country.

Sindh National Students Front president Dr Waheed Unnar, who presided over the function, said except for students no other party had launched a struggle against the One Unit.

He said there were times when the criminals used to take shelter in the educational institutions hostels of Sindh but added that those times had passed. Hameed Sindhi said writers and poets of Sindh had created awareness and awakening among the people during the One Unit.

He said many a writer and poet were punished for their revolutionary works. Riaz Chandio, Ayub Shar, Dr Mazhar Memon, Dr Dodo Mahiri, Wali Mohammad Jamali, Ayaz Latif Palijo and others also spoke on the occasion.

EXAMS: The controller of examinations, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, has announced that practical examinations of ophthalmology of final professional MBBS will be held on March 8 and 9 at the Eye Hospital, Hyderabad. Revision classes will start from March 4 at the Eye Hospital, he further announced.