SHIKARPUR, Nov 20: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that a recruitment policy is being drawn up to fill thousands of vacancies that have been created in various departments.

"These jobs would be offered to people purely on merit," he declared while talking to newsmen at the Valima reception of Federal Minister for Narcotics Ghous Bux Khan Mahar's daughter.

He said that his government was determined to tackle unemployment and law and order problems for which all resources were being utilized.

He warned bureaucrats and politicians that legal action would be taken against them if they created hindrances in the government's functioning or acted to harm the democratic process.

Replying to a question, he said local bodies elections would be held as per schedule. He was of the opinion that administrators should be appointed to replace district nazims before the elections.

In his view, the local bodies elections should be held on party basis at taluka and district level and on non-party basis at the union council level.

He said the opposition could be treated under the law as they had been treated by the Nawaz Sharif government if it tried to hold public meeting in Karachi without the Sindh government's prior permission.

SUKKUR: Earlier, on his arrival at Sukkur Airport, he told newsmen that the government had not yet allowed the MMA to hold protest meeting in Karachi.

He, however, said that the government was trying to figure out how many people would attend the meeting and what route they would choose to reach the venue.

He made it clear that if the government thought the meeting would create law and order situation then it would not allow it to take place.

He said that under the leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf the overall law and order situation and the country's economy had improved significantly. More efforts were under way to bring radical changes in both the sectors.

He said that a proposal of holding the next local government elections of zila and taluka nazims/naib nazims on party basis was under consideration of the Sindh government.

A final decision would be made by the federal government, he added.

About the proposed Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Khan Mahar Medical College, Sukkur, the chief minister said it would be constructed at the site already selected. If more land was required, it would be made available so that the project got completed smoothly.