HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Education, Culture and Tourism Syed Sardar Ali Shah has said that Pakistan Peoples Party never runs away from polls as the party has already bagged most of seats in the first phase of local government polls.

He said at a commemorative programme for poets Juman Darbadar and Mitho Mahri at Sindh museum on Monday that Sindh police were engaged in security duties for PTI’s long march, an operation was under way against dacoits while rainwater was still flooding many districts as the dewatering process had not been completed yet, making it very difficult to hold LG polls for the time being, he said, adding that otherwise PPP had never run away from polls.

He said in answer to a question that the candidates who had failed the job tests were holding protests and wondered how could more teachers be appointed if there were no more seats available. Even the ones appointed earlier had not been adjusted yet while the process for distribution of offer and posting letters to teachers in Hyderabad had been started lately, he said.

The minister said that PPP government had started the recruitment as the process had not been initiated for a long time. Closed schools would be reopened as the teachers’ requirement had been made and no school would remain closed now, he said, adding that any teacher who went on long leave would face action.

He paid rich tribute to poets Juman Darbadar and Mitho Mahri who had devoted their entire lives to the promotion of culture and art. Literary and cultural gatherings tended to counter extremism and terrorism, he said.

He said that it was due to sacrifices of men like Darbadar and Mahri that democracy was thriving in this land. These people did not use their personalities to seek monetary benefits. Hyderabad was Sindh’s cultural and tourism hub but recent floods and before that coronavirus put on hold all cultural programs. They would now be revived by the department, he said.

He said that many events were planned in Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities and Mohenjo Daro’s centennial celebrations were being planned for promoting the ancient civilisation.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2022