HYDERABAD, Sept 3: The Progressive Veterinarian Forum, Sindh Chapter has demanded of the Sindh government to reject the summary with regards to illegal promotion of stock assistants and that qualified veterinary doctors should be provided jobs.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, office-bearers of the forum, Dr Iftikhar Shah, Dr Mohammad Ishaque Memon, Dr Javed Khoso, Dr Bakhshal Thalho and others said that 2,300 veterinary graduates, including 20 per cent from other provinces, had so far obtained degrees from the Sindh Agriculture University.

“Only 350 doctors are working in the Livestock Department which is not a significant number,” they said and added: In India, there was one doctor for 16,000 cattle while in Pakistan the situation was deplorable.

They said in Punjab one doctor was appointed for 56,000 cattle, in the NWFP for 70,000, in Balochistan for 85,000 and in Sindh for 100,000 cattle.

They said that keeping in view the fact the agriculture contributed 21.6 per cent to the GDP with the livestock sharing 46 per cent in it. The percentage of professional veterinary working in these sectors was deplorable.

They said 42 per cent of labour force was working in agriculture sector and in the last 10 years not a single advertisement was issued by the Sindh Public Service Commission for appointment of veterinary doctors.

On one hand, qualified graduates were waiting for appointment while on the other a summary had been prepared recommending promotion of 20 per cent out of 811 stock assistants in Grade-17 as Veterinary Officers they said and claimed it to be violation of the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Act 1996. The stock assistants could only assist qualified doctors and were not even permitted under law to prescribe antibiotic medicines, they said.

They demanded rejection of summary, lifting ban on appointment of veterinary doctors in Livestock Department, filling vacant posts of doctors, confirmation of house job doctors, and formation of a service structure in Sindh on the pattern of Punjab.

They said move-over cases should be decided without delay, the proposed privatisation of Nabisar Cattle Farm dropped, diagnostic laboratory in each district be set up, and illegal occupation of veterinary hospitals ejected.

They warned of protest if their genuine demands were not accepted.

Services eulogised: Academ-icians and teachers of Sindh University paid rich tributes to late Prof Amina Khamisani at a condolence meeting held here, on Monday. She was a renowned scholar and former English literature teacher who died on Friday.

They said she was a source of inspiration for her students and herself been an outstanding student of the university. Vice Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui said late Prof Khamisani was not only a role model for her students but also for faculty members.

Dean Faculty of Arts, Dr Mohammad Qasim Bughio said she was a committed teacher and never compromised on principles. He said her greatest work which will live forever, was the translation of Shah Jo Risalo in English.

Others who paid tributes to her were Dr S.M. Saeed, Dr Nargis Raza Odho, Prof Badar Soomro, Dr Rafia Ahmed Shaikh, and Dr Inayatullah Shah.

DEGREES: Advanced Studies and Research Board (ASRB), University of Sindh, at its 97th meeting held here on Monday approved awarding PhD and MPhil degrees to six candidates in Natural Science and Islamic Studies.