HYDERABAD, Oct 13: The Sindh Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Affairs, Mr Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, has announced that the Bhitshah cultural centre's golden jubilee will be celebrated after Eidul Fitr in a befitting manner.

He was speaking at a ceremony in Bhitshah on Wednesday at which prizes were given to culture department's employees who had performed their duties well at the 260th Urs celebrations of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Jashan-e-Baharan Lahore.

He said the working of the Bhitshah cultural centre would be streamlined to project the culture of Sindh in a better manner. He regretted that no cultural programmes had been held in Sindh since 1967 and added that the culture department had chalked out an elaborate schedule under which cultural programmes would be held in all the district headquarters of the province.

He said the first programme in this connection - the Laar Fair - would be held in Badin after Eidul Fitr. He said last year the Marvi Fair was held in Tharparkar to create a sense of brother hood between rural and urban population.

He said the culture department had constituted a high-level committee comprising representatives of the Radio Pakistan, PTV, the culture department and journalists for identifying genuine and deserving artists for providing them financial assistance in a transparent manner.

Mr Qaimkhani announced that the services of the employees of Bhitshah cultural centre would be regularized and efforts would be made to promote Malakhro. He took a serious notice of encroachments on the property of Bhitshah cultural centre and non-availability of water in the Karar Lake.

He regretted that iron grills and power machine installed under the Bhitshah beautification plan had been stolen. Not only this, the minister said, but even the official quarters had been occupied by outsiders at the cost of the deserving artists. He warned that the encroachers and usurpers would not be forgiven.

The minister said that Sindh was extremely rich in culture and added that the message of Shah Bhittai and other saints would be disseminated the world over. He held out an assurance that honest and hardworking officers and staff members would be rewarded but warned of strict action against the ghost employees.

The additional chief secretary, culture and social welfare, Mr Anwar Haider, the director general culture department, Mr Nizam Jatoi and Sajjad Haider Mirza also spoke on the occasion. About 70 employees of culture department were given rewards and commendatory certificates.

SU CONVOCATION: The controller of examinations, University of Sindh, has notified that the academic convocation 2003 of the university will be held in Dec 2004 in Jamshoro.