HYDERABAD, April 16: Routine work at the Sindhi Adabi Board Jamshoro has come to a grinding halt as the board employees are busy staging demonstrations and hunger strikes against and in support of the board’s secretary Aijaz Mangi and vice-chairman Madad Ali Sindhi.

On Wednesday, members of the so-called Sindhi Adabi Board Bachayo Committee staged demonstration and hunger strike outside the press club against Tariq Alam Abro group and in support of Aijaz Mangi.

They accused Tariq Alam and his supporters of attacking the board’s PRO, Shoukat Memon, security officer Khadim Ali Memon and Gotam Channa about a week ago and demanded Abro’s arrest.

They also observed a token hunger strike.

The committee leaders, including Dr Nazeer Ahmed Memon, Ghulam Mohammad Korejo, Ali Gul Chhachhar and Mohammad Yousuf who observed token hunger strike, deplored mud slinging at Aijaz Mangi by the rival group.

Meanwhile, about two scores of Aijaz Mangi’s rivals also staged a demonstration outside the press club under the banner of Press Employees Union of the board.

The union’s general secretary Ghulam Haider said that the so-called action committee formed overnight by former PRO Shoukat Memon, was a fake. Shoukat Memon’s contract expired on April 9 after the competent authority refused to extend his contract, he claimed.

He demanded that Aijaz Mangi and Madad Ali Sindhi should be removed and an inquiry should be held into the embezzlement of the board’s funds.

The union’s standpoint was supported by a group of activists of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Welfare Society who in the lead of Sajjad Naqvi also staged a demonstration outside the press club demanding removal of Aijaz Mangi and Madad Ali Sindhi.

Student clash: A student suffered injuries in a clash between two groups in the Sindh University on Wednesday.

Niaz Chandio was hit with a bullet in the arm and rushed to Liaquat Medical University Hospital after two groups of students studying in second year of BCS evening programme clashed over a petty issue outside the canteen.

Chandio was shifted to the city branch of the hospital after first aid.

Registrar Mohammad Saleh Rajar and other university officials visited the injured student who was reportedly out of danger.

MEHRAN ARTS COUNCIL: Deputy director and secretary of Mehran Arts Council Shahzor Ali Tayyabani announced on Wednesday that the Sindh government had given approval to repairs, renovation and beautification of the council building in Hyderabad and the auditorium would be closed from May 1 to July 31.