MITHI, Aug 28: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, has said a councillor or nazim, elected with the vote of the public should come up to the expectations of masses instead of protecting his own interests.

Addressing a public gathering at the circuit house here on Sunday, he announced the name of Arbab Anwar as his candidate for the post of Tharparkar nazim.

The chief minister said councillors were free to vote for any candidate for taluka and district nazim according to the call of their conscience.

However, they should elect those persons who are enlightened with a modern thinking and who can serve the masses, without any discrimination, both the Muslims and non-Muslims.

“The polls for local councils have been conducted in two phases in Sindh satisfactorily and most of councillors’ seats have been bagged by candidates of the Khushhal Pakistan Panel and the same fact indicates that the people are satisfied with the policies of President Gen Musharraf which has introduced the local body system, besides providing huge funding to district councils” the chief minister said.

Mr Arbab claimed that creation of new districts and talukas would pave the way for the development of these areas.

Expressing his concern over deteriorating standard of education, he said though the government had opened school in every village, there were many drawbacks in the educational system which were being checked.

He said that a lion’s share of development funds was pocketed by commission mafia, including engineers, contractors and other functionaries, however, “I will not tolerate such practices”.

“Tharparkar is my home district and being the president of the Sindh Muslim League, I have come here to consult people and to know their view about candidates for nazims and naib nazims of talukas and districts.

The chief minister said that he would consult the delegates to finalize the names of nazims for four talukas.