HYDERABAD, Aug 12: Intellectuals of Sindh have deplored the statement of President Gen Pervez Musharraf during his visit to rain-hit Badin and Thatta districts in which he said there would have been no floods if the Thal canal, Kalabagh dam and other water projects had been constructed.
In a joint statement faxed to Dawn here the other day, Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Dr Mehtab Ali Shah, Prof Mushtaq Mirani and Amar Sindhu said availability of sufficient water in the River Indus downstream Kotri was the economic, agricultural and ecological requirement of Sindh, which could not afford construction of projects on the river.
They said the recent rains had wreaked havoc in Thatta and Badin districts and it was feared that saline water of Punjab would be discharged into sea due to the poor drainage system, specially the Left Bank Outfall Drain. They said some areas in Badin had come under seawater, rendering the lands barren.
They said the devastation could not be attributed to the surplus water in the River Indus as being propagated by authorities in Islamabad.
JSM: Jeay Sindh Mahaz-J chairman Abdul Khaliq Junejo has also criticized the president for his statement about construction of dams.
In a statement faxed to Dawn here the other day, he said despite the Sindh Assembly and the people of the province had rejected the Thal canal and the Kalabagh dam the government had decided to continue with the project.
He said the statement of Gen Musharraf should serve as an eye-opener for politicians of Sindh supporting the president.
EDUCATION: Sindhi Language Authority chairman Dr Mohammad Qasim Bughio has said students and their parents should come forward to improve the standard of education.
He was speaking at a seminar on “Educational Problems of Sindh and Development”, jointly organized by the Sindh Graduates Association and the Action Aid Pakistan here the other day.
Dr Bughio said primary teachers should be selected on the basis of merit and demanded that the National Teachers Commission should be appointed to train teachers.
Noted writer Anwar Pirzado, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said the people should take benefit of modern teaching methods.
Allah Warayo Odesi, Arbab, Prof Yaqoob Arisar, Mir Bux Shar and others also spoke on the occasion.
RESULTS: The controller of examinations, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, has announced the results of MSc (previous), MSc (pass) final and MSc (Hons) Final Psychology semester examinations 2002.