LARKANA, April 1: The Sindh education secretary has asked the officials of education department and district governments to deduct the salaries of the protesting teachers and take a disciplinary action against them.

The letter has been faxed to the heads of different educational institutions and district governments all over Sindh reportedly in the wake of orders from President Gen Pervez Musharraf and the Sindh governor who have expressed concern over the strike calls from the education and health department employees.

Sources said that it had been advised by the Sindh governor that the absentee and trouble-making employees be replaced with young and energetic unemployed youths who wanted jobs badly.

REFERENDUM: The Khaksar Tehrik (KT) has rejected the presidential referendum terming it unconstitutional and demanded holding of general elections on the basis of class system.

The demand was made by the KT chief Hamiduddin Mashriqi at the Khaksar Martyrs Conference held on Sunday under the auspices of his party.

He said that Gen Musharraf wanted a controlled democracy.