HYDERABAD, April 20: People’s Party Parliamentarians’ Sindh Council member Mohammad Usman Kennedy has alleged that 45,000 party workers and leaders have been arrested in Lahore and adjoining area. He was speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Wednesday.

He said all roads leading to Lahore had been sealed by the Punjab government from April 15 to block the way of PPP activists.

He alleged that Lahore had virtually been turned into a battle ground on April 16. He said the arrested activists had been sent to different jails and police stations. This was the height of the government’s weakness and cowardice, he observed.

He claimed that the current year was the year of general elections and added that party activists would continue their struggle for restoration of democracy and the 1973 Constitution.

STIPEND DEMANDED: Doctors doing postgraduate diploma held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Wednesday against non-payment of stipend to them.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Doctors Council leaders Dr Nazeer Memon, Dr Shafiq Channa, Dr Imran Mahar and others said it was an irony that doctors doing degree courses were being paid stipend but those doing diploma courses were being denied this facility. They said it was in spite of the fact that postgraduate and diploma doctors remained on duties round-the-clock.

They said the doctors did not have any other source of income because they had given an undertaking that they neither would open clinics nor do part-time job in any other hospital.

They demanded that they should be paid stipend on the pattern of postgraduate doctors.

HUNGER STRIKE: The Awami Action Committee, Qasimabad Union Council-4, observed a token hunger strike outside the press club here to protest against non-employment of Sindhis in the Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited.

Speaking on the occasion, Qaisar Talpur, Sachal Gopang, Mehboob Abro and others claimed that local people had the first right to get employment in the JJVL but they were being ignored in jobs.

The JJVL management has repeatedly refuted such allegations and said 100 per cent of employees in the unit are Sindhis.

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