HYDERABAD, March 21: Hyderabad Zila Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman has said that the setting up of the customers service centre in Qasimabad by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company will help resolve problems of the consumers without any delay.

He was inaugurating the first customers service centre at the Qasimabad operation sub-division here on Thursday.

He offered full cooperation of the district government to the Hesco and said that efforts were being made to accelerate the pace of the ongoing development schemes and to ensure coordination between different departments.

The Zila Nazim pointed out that a district coordination committee had already been appointed in this regard and added that a sizable amount would be spent on the village electrification and improvement of street lighting in the next budget.

Speaking on the occasion, Hesco chief Brig Tariq Arshad said that with the commissioning of the customers service centre, the problems of the consumers would be resolved under one roof.

He said that he had given the target of April 10 to introduce the new programme of customers services at each sub-division throughout Sindh and added that a regional customers centre would also be established at each circle which would be equipped with computers, fax machines, telephone and other modern facilities.

He said that the regional centre would function from 8:00am to 8:00pm.

WITNESSES: Two witnesses recorded their statements before the Anti-Terrorism Court, Hyderabad, on Wednesday in the kidnapping case of a businessman, Arif Surti.

Surti was kidnapped on April 12, 2000, in the Qasimabad police station area. His brother, Ashraf Surti, had lodged a case at the Qasimabad police station.

Hassan Rajjar, Faqir Inayat Hisbani, Kamal Janji, Rhaeem and Sanwal Jakhrani had been challaned in the case.

The complainant and Arif Surit recorded their statements before the court.

Abdul Sattar Kazi, Allah Bachayo Soomro and Rahmatullah Hisbani, advocates, represented the accused.