HYDERABAD, Oct 29: The instructors of the rehabilitation centres for the physically handicapped children run by the Sindh Social Welfare Department have decided to launch a movement if they are not granted allowance equal to their basic salary on the pattern of Punjab, the NWFP and Balochistan.

They said at a recently held meeting complained that the service structure of the employees of the centres had not been upgraded over the past 27 years. Gen Ziaul Haq had announced upgradation of the instructors, teachers and workshop managers of the centres in 1981 and the NWFP, the Punjab and Balochistan not only implemented the presidential directive but went a step further by announcing raise in allowance equal to the employees’ basic salary, the meeting said.

The meeting observed that the Sindh Social Welfare Department had written a letter to the three provinces on April 15, 2005 to ascertain the above facts and in reply the Punjab welfare department confirmed the implementation of presidential orders and furnished a copy of the orders issued by the Punjab chief minister in 2004 in this regard.

The meeting said that after receiving the confirmation, the Sindh department moved a summary to the secretary of the department as well as the finance secretary for approval of raise but the summary had been lying on their tables for the last three years.

The instructors said that the delay in implementation of presidential orders had caused great unrest among the employees. The meeting formed a seven-member action committee headed by Abdul Hameed Panhwar to pursue the matter and decided to launch a movement across the province after Eidul Azha if their service was not upgraded and if they were not paid allowance equal to their basic salary.

HUNGER STRIKE CALLED OFF: On the intercession of the acting president PPP Hyderabad district, Amanullah Siyal and cultural wing divisional president, Khan Mohammad Sehto, Ms Sheeba Amir Zardari and her husband Amir Zardari, who had staged hunger strike unto death 17 days back outside the press club in protest against their expulsion from the party, called-off their hunger strike on Wednesday.

Amanullah Siyal and Khan Mohammad Sehto assured them that they will speak to the provincial leadership about their demands and also constituted a committee to inquire into the alleged embezzlement of zakat funds. Amanullah Siyal offered glasses of juice to Ms Sheeba and her husband.