KARACHI, Feb 1: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar has said there is no provision to provide job to the next of the kin of a government servant who dies before retirement.

One child of the deceased civil servant is, however, eligible for job according to his qualification and other prescribed conditions.

The question was put by Syed Ali Mardan Shah of the PPP in the Sindh Assembly during the question hour on Saturday. The written reply was read out by Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat.

Farheen Mughal, Murad Ali Shah and other opposition members put supplementary questions. Farheen Mughal asked about the fate of 26 persons appointed assistant commissioners in 1996 and later removed. She said a court had given decision in their favour, but they were being denied posting.

Murad Ali Shah raised the issue of Dadu Sugar Mill employees and said as the government infused a huge amount of Rs22 billion in the UBL before its privatization, so it should invest money to run the closed sugar mill.

A member raised the issue of 250 lady teachers of Hyderabad who had been deprived of service. The education minister replied that he had sought a detailed report on the matter.

When the minister was asked if there was a quota for women in jobs for children of deceased government employees, he said there was no any such quota.

Syed Ali Mardan Shah also put a question on land grant policy and the procedure for allotment of land on lease for agriculture purposes.

Minister of Revenue Altaf Unnar replied that four notifications had been issued in this respect, three in 1973 and the fourth in 2000, according to which Barani state land was granted on lease for 10 years, state land in prohibited limits of municipal/town committees for 10 years and un-leased state land for five years.

Responding to supplementary questions, Senior Minister Sardar Ahmed explained that agriculture land could not be brought under commercial or industrial use.

Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat said the government was committed to provide jobs to the educated youth on the basis of merit. He stated this on behalf of the chief minister during the question hour.

The minister informed the house that the ban on jobs would be lifted soon.

Replying to a question about delay in completion of formalities for payment of pension to retired employees, he assured that steps would be taken to ensure avoidance of delay.

Answering another question, he said there was no scheme for grant of scholarship to children of deceased government employees, but added that the suggestion about this would be considered.

interference: Members of the Sindh Assembly deplored on Saturday interference by other provinces in the affairs of Sindh and said the assembly stood united on issues of national interest, including NFC award.

The leader of the Sindh Democratic Alliance, Imtiaz Shaikh, raised a point of order over a press report that the parliamentary party leader of the PPP in the NWFP Assembly had severely criticized the unanimous approval of a resolution on NFC award by the Sindh Assembly.

He said it was unethical and unfair on the part of the NWFP leader to criticize the Sindh Assembly when “we are only demanding our due rights.”

Saifullah Dharejo of the PPP assured the government of full support on this and other issues concerning the welfare and development of the province.

Irfan Gul Magsi also criticized the statement and questioned the policy of the PPP on this matter and said while the Sindh Assembly talked of the rights of smaller provinces, a PPP leader from the NWFP criticized Sindh.

The Leader of the Opposition, Nisar Khuhro of the PPP, said NFC award was a national issue and all the provinces had the right to discuss it and give their opinion. — PPI/APP