KARACHI, Nov 20: The Sindh Education and Literacy Minister, Dr Hamida Khuhro, on Saturday said that a bill would soon be introduced in the provincial assembly for a ban on sale of cigarettes , betel leaves, betel nuts and gutka within one km of all schools and colleges.

She announced this at a ceremony organized by an NGO, HANDS, on the eve of the World Children Day held at the PMA House Karachi.

Dr Khuhro urged people to come forward and assist the provincial government in making closed schools functional, and in compelling teachers to perform their responsibilities with a sense of dedication and missionary zeal.

"The Sindh Education Department is striving for improving the system of education, provision of quality education to students and creating job opportunities for people," she said.

Dr Khuhro deplored that owing the inadequate importance given to the education sector by past governments, poverty had increased manifolds, while badly hampering the country's progress and development.

"Although a majority of people in interior Sindh have television sets at their homes, and due to which they have vast knowledge about world issues, but unfortunately, they lack awareness," she deplored.

She also said deplored 26,000 teachers were recruited in the recent past to serve people in rural areas, but unfortunately, they too were not fulfilling their responsibilities.

"A large number of schools are lying closed owing to the wrongdoing of these people, who were recruited as teachers on political basis."

Funds of millions of rupees provided to School Management Committees were embezzled, she informed, and said that unless people stood against such elements, the system would not improve and there would be no betterment.

Case studies of several children belonging to various cities of the province were also discussed o n the occasion, and experts including eminent Paediatrician Abdul Ghaffar Billo, lawyer Zia Awan and others presented their opinion on children's issues. - PPI