LARKANA: July 24: A 70-member delegation of Hindu Panchayats from different parts of Tharparkar visited the city on Friday and met with office-bearers of the local Panchayat.

The delegation headed by Kashoo Mal expressed solidarity with the Panchayat and family members of the kidnapped trader, Santosh Kumar.

The delegation announced that if Mr Kumar was not recovered within three days, the Hindu community in Tharparkar would not cast votes in the by-election where finance minister Shaukat Aziz is contesting.

Meanwhile, District Nazim Khursheed Junejo and DPO Nadir Khoso held a meeting with leaders of the city action committee at the hunger strike camp outside the Jinnah Bagh.

They assured protesting traders, Hindus and others for the early recovery of the kidnapped trader.

They persuaded leaders to call-off hunger strike.

The president of the Larkana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iqbal Shaikh, the senior vice-chairman of the Larkana Hindu Panchayat, Seth Lekhraj, temporarily called off the strike.

Speaking on the occasion, the DPO said if the police had taken prompt action in right direction, Santosh Kumar would have been recovered.

Mr Khoso was optimistic that the kidnap victim would soon be recovered.

Pakistan People's Party (SB) chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto also visited Santosh Kumar's house and expressed sympathy with his family members.

She criticized the deteriorating law and order situation in the district.

GOTH SUDHAR SCHEME: Sindh Revenue Minister Imtiaz Shaikh has said the government is considering the revival of Goth Sudhar scheme.

Under the programme, he said, villages would be regularized so that bank loan facilities could be provided to villagers.

Talking to newsmen at the circuit house on Saturday, he said some 120,000 acres of kutcha land would be distributed among peasants in eleven districts.

He said a revenue academy would be established in Sindh where Mukhtiarkars, Tapidars and other revenue staff would be trained.

The academy would have its own syllabus for which homework was underway.

He appreciated the efforts of Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim for restoring the 1991 Water Accord which was in Sindh's interest.

Mr Shaikh along with Dr Suhrab Sarki, District Nazim Khursheed Junejo, rights' activist Kalpana Devi and other officials visited the house of Santosh Kumar in Dari Mohallo and sympathized with family members.

Our Shikarpur correspondent adds: The government is determined to improve socio-economic conditions of people in the country.

This was stated by Sindh Revenue Minister Imtiaz Shaikh while talking at the meet the press programme here at the Shikarpur press club on Saturday.

The minister said he would engage his efforts to improve irregularities in the revenue department.

Special attention will be paid towards the improvement of Goth Sudhar scheme for the rehabilitation of villagers under the scheme, he said.

He said in this regard at least 25,000 villages surveyed would be provided basis facilities.