Employees oppose PR privatisation
KARACHI, July 26: The Pakistan Railways Employees Union (CBA) on Tuesday organised a protest meeting against the proposed privatisation of the Pakistan Railways (PR) at the City Station.
Speaking to the participants, a CBA leader, Haji Matloob Khan, said that privatisation of national assets had always cast a negative impact on the performance of the institutions concerned, particularly those related to public services. He gave the example of the Karachi Electric Supply Company in this regard, and said that downsizing and privatisation of Railways would be resisted by its workers. He also urged the government to investigate the charges of massive corruption against PR high-ups.
He said the PR was suffering a loss of Rs62 billion per annum due to mismanagement and corruption.
Other CBA leaders who spoke at the meeting also blamed the PR financial crisis on corruption allegedly by its senior officials.—APP
Historical sites
THE Sindh government has decided to initiate work for the preservation of shrines of historical importance in the province.
A meeting in this regard was held under the auspices of the Sindh Cultural Heritage Committee with Chief Secretary Raja Mohammad Abbas in the chair.
The committee agreed to undertake conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of the Quaid-i-Azam House Museum located at the junction of Sharea Faisal and Fatima Jinnah Road in Karachi.
The meeting also decided to start preservation of the mazars of Mirza Jani Baig and Diwan Shurafa Khan, and the historical mosque located on the premises of Dargah Hazrat Shah Fuzail at Makli.
The chief secretary stressed the need for evolving a system of preservation and protection of cultural heritage in accordance with the legal framework.
Architects Arif Hassan, Suhail Kalhoro and Prof Dr Aneela Naim, besides secretary of the culture department Abdul Aziz Uqaili, were present.—APP
Liquor shops
CITING the Ehtaram-i-Ramazan Ordinance, the excise and taxation department has ordered closure of all liquor shops across Sindh in Ramazan.
According to a handout issued by E&T Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla on Tuesday, all liquor shops/stores will remain closed throughout the province during Ramazan.—PPI