HYDERABAD, Feb 3: Activists of the Jamaat-i-Islami held a demonstration outside the press club here on Thursday in protest against the recent increase in petroleum prices. They carried placards and banners and raised slogans against the government.

Speaking on the occasion, the president of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, district chapter, Maulana Waheed Qureshi, and Jamaat-i-Islami city leader Sheikh Shaukat Ali said the price increase had made the life of the poor miserable.

The MMA leaders said the number of suicides had increased whereas the rulers had been making claims about $12 billion foreign exchange reserves without checking inflation.

They said the rulers could not hoodwink people any more because the masses were aware of the fact that the increase in petroleum prices was a result of policies being formulated by the USA for the country.

They said with the increase in petroleum prices the rates of commodities and utilities had automatically increased. The MMA leaders said sugar was being sold at Rs28 per kilogramme against the previous rate of Rs18 per kilogramme.

They said oil prices had decreased in the international market but increased in the country. They said the rulers were increasing salaries and perks of ministers and advisers.

Without naming the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the MMA leaders said those claiming to be leaders of Mazlooms were not raising voice against the price hike and while they had threatened to quit the coalition government on the issue of Shaista Almani. The MMA leaders said the resolution adopted by the NWFP assembly against the recent raise in prices was reflective of people's aspirations.

NAZIM: District Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman has directed officials of the district government and the Hyderabad Development Authority to complete all arrangements for Muharram.

At a meeting here on Thursday, he said the leaves of all officials should be cancelled till 12th of Muharram. He said that all possible efforts should be taken to ensure facilities to mourners and maintain law and order.

He said that water supply should be ensured whereas all kinds of hurdles should be on the routes of processions. The district nazim said the sanitation arrangements should be made properly and load shedding should be avoided.

He said live wires should be removed on the processions routes. The District Coordination Officer directed officials of the health department to ensure availability of medicines in hospitals and set up medical camps for the provision of medical aid to mourners.

City Taluka Nazim Haji Moin Sheikh said he had already directed the sanitation staff to take all practical steps in ensuring cleanliness in the city. The DPO said the law and order situation was under complete control of police as there was no religious tension in the district. He said the law and order would be maintained in the district at all cost.

DATE EXTENDED: The director, admissions, University of Sindh, on Thursday extended the last date to deposit admission fee by students of bachelor's and master's programmes for their next higher classes up to Feb 16.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the department of public management sciences of the university announced that viva-voce of students of MPA (final), evening programme, and post-graduate diploma in public administration would be held on Feb 7.

The chairman of the university's department of English announced that classes of first semester M.A English, evening programme, would commence from Feb 7 at the Hyderabad campus.

MUET: The controller of examination of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology has announced that extra supplementary examinations of 1991-1994 batches of fifth and eighth terms of various departments will start from Feb 10 and 12 respectively. The disciplines include bachelor's of engineering, bachelor's of city and regional planning and bachelor's of architecture.