HYDERABAD, Jan 31: Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq admitted on Saturday that ‘a mafia’ was operating in Sindh Text Book Board (STBB) in past but now a committee had been formed to procure paper in a transparent manner.

Talking to journalists at the press club after a tea party hosted in his honour, the minister said that Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement had learned from their past and were moving forward under the reconciliation approach.

He said that despite the fact that PPP won majority of seats in Sindh Assembly, “we have taken everybody on board including MQM and ANP”.

He said that main task of the government was to provide education, health and job opportunities to people and maintain law and order.

He informed that EDO education Hyderabad was involved in illegal recruitment without calling the meeting of recruitment committee, therefore, an inquiry had been initiated and legal action would be taken against him.

The minister said that this practice had resulted in saving Rs15 million and role of middlemen has been eliminated while only 8 to 10 publishers with printing presses have been given task for publishing the books.

He said that a proposal would also be implemented for publishing a single textbook with four sub-titles for students which is expected to save Rs30million. The minister announced a donation of Rs50,000 for the press club.

He said under the local bodies system, the district governments are supposed to look after the school buildings and education department is providing Rs100 million to each district of Sindh for repair and provision of missing facilities in the schools.