HYDERABAD, May 11 Hyderabad chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) has said that the issue of restoration of old Hyderabad district is being raised to divert the attention of people from real problems.

Addressing a news conference here on Tuesday, district president of the party Mazharul Haq and general secretary Nasir Baloch rejected the proposed restoration and added that it would be a an injustice to the people of the new districts Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Tando Mohammad Khan.

Mr Mazharul said that people of these districts were getting all basic facilities at their door steps and since the bifurcation of Hyderabad district, a record number of development schemes had been completed there.

Criticising the government, he said the rulers wanted to deprive people of the facilities provided by the previous government, he said.

He urged the prime minister and Sindh chief minister to leave raising non-issues and deal with the problems of price hike, unemployment, poverty, hunger, loadshedding, lawlessness and extortion.

He alleged that the issue had been raised to appease waderas and jagirdars who wanted to maintain their hegemony over Hyderabad.

The PML-Q would launch a protest movement if the status of the old district of Hyderabad was restored, he warned.

The party leaders appealed to the president and prime minister to hold local bodies' elections without any further delay, under the SLGO-2001.

DEVELOPMENT WORK District Administrator of Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri has directed executing officers to speed up the pace of development works to complete them within the stipulated period.

He also told them to submit proposals about new development schemes for the next financial year, keeping in view miseries of the people.

He was presiding over a meeting to review uplift plans and discuss new proposals at Shahbaz Hall here on Tuesday.

He said that the government had sanctioned a considerable amount to complete the pending development schemes to facilitate the citizens.

The administrator also advised the stakeholders of private sector and NGOs to propose their development schemes for the next financial year so that they could be incorporated accordingly in the next budget.

SECTION 144 The Sindh home secretary has banned commercial decorative lights, neon signs/ billboards throughout the province, under Section 144.

The order also said that streetlights of the alternate polls should be switched on.

This order shall be effective immediately and shall remain in force till further orders.

The district administrator of Hyderabad has directed the officers concerned to get the order implemented without fail.