MIRPURKHAS, July 12: Neem tree plantation programme of the Sindh government could not be accomplished allegedly because of the district government’s failure to provide funds to the Forest Department.

District Forest Officer, Nisar Ahmed Ansari told Dawn that on the orders of Sindh Chief Minister to plant 500,000 Neem trees in each district of the province, he approached the DCO Mirpurkhas in June for funds.

Germination period of Neem tree was from June 20 to July 15, while plant takes 25 days for preparation. Unfortunately, the district government Mirpurkhas could not provide required Rs350,000 to District Forest Officer on time.

Nisar Ahmed said the time to grow Neem trees had almost passed because of the non-provision of required funds thus failing the drive. He said that he told the DCO of the failure to implement this programme, holding the district government responsible.

BB Portrait: An urgent meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party City Mirpurkhas presided over by President Malik Mohammad Yaseen Ghori was held on Saturday to condemn the burning down of Benazir Bhutto’s portrait in Hyderabad.

The meeting was attended by Zakir Hussain, Nazar Mohammad Baloch, Nawaz Qureshi, Comrade Mehboob, Nazar Mohammad Baloch, Anwar Jatt and others. It termed the people involved in this shameful act as anti-country and anti-Sindh.

They said these people were against the country and the province and bent upon disturbing the peace. It said PPP workers will not tolerate insult of their leaders.

The meeting demanded of the district administration Hyderabad to take notice and ensure immediate arrest of the accused.

ROBBED: A man, Mohammad Rafique, was robbed of Rs100,000 cash and a cheque of Rs115,000 on gunpoint by armed men near Shama Ground late on Friday night. Accused managed to escape taking the advantage of darkness.

SHO Satellite Town, Malik Qamaruzzaman told Dawn that he arrested accused Abbas Jatt involved in the robbery during a raid on Saturday. However, the looted amount had yet not been recovered.