MIRPURKHAS, March 18: People’s Party Parliamentarians MNA Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur has condemned the killings of innocent men, women and children in Dera Bugti and accused the government of acting against its own citizens. In a statement issued here on Friday, he said people of the country were mourning deaths of innocent people. He accused the governament of targeting the people it was Oath-bound to protect.

He said the way the government was unfolding its anti-people policies and killing people should make the nation realize where the country was heading under the military regime. He said that it was a pity that the military junta had learnt no lessons from the 1971 dismemberment of the country.

The MNA condemned what he called the murderous attack on Nawab Akbar Bugti and called upon human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, to take notice of the killings of innocent people in Dera Bugti.

INQUIRY: The local branch of the Anti-Corruption Establishment has initiated a preliminary inquiry into alleged misappropriation of Rs16.775 million in the education department.

The funds were meant for purchase of furniture for schools and technical colleges and provision of oil and milk to school students under the World Food Programme in the district during 2001-4.

The action has been taken on the complaint of a city resident, Mohammad Umer. According to him, the funds for furniture for 38 schools in the district have been embezzled. No legal procedure was adopted by the department and officers took signatures of headmasters and headmistress of girls and boys schools on fake vouchers. Milk and oil were provided to selected schools.

When contacted, ACE circle in-charge Khalid Nizamani said he had sought relevant record to examine and prepare list of officials involved in the case. Thereafter, notices for recording their statements would be issued, he added.