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Published 29 Aug, 2010 12:00am

Judicial probe urged into Thatta breaches

HYDERABAD, Aug 28 Sindh chapter of the Jamaat-i-Islami has demanded a judicial inquiry into two recent dyke breaches in Thatta district and the earlier Tori embankment breach that occurred in Ghauspur (|Kandhkot-Kashmore district).

Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, Ameer of Sindh JI Moulana Asadullah Bhutto said that these breaches spoke volumes about inefficiency, irresponsibility and ineptness of the government and other authorities concerned.

Even Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo had admitted that Tori embankment had been breached on the order of the government, he said. Mr Bhutto said he and other party leaders had visited entire upper Sindh, adding that it could be said without any fear of contradiction that Thatta breaches were the result of inefficiency of the government and the authorities concerned.

He said the Tori breach had wreaked havoc in upper Sindh and demanded that those responsible for these breaches must be brought to book.

He said that in Thatta, thousands of people had taken refuge in Makli graveyard under open sky.

The government had failed to provide transport to flood survivors, he said and demanded their shifting to government buildings.

He alleged that in upper Sindh, the authorities had focused their attention to protect Larkana and Jacobabad's Shahbaz airbase which was being used by US forces.

He said the internally displaced people (IDPs) were not being provided any medical facilities in relief camps, which helped spread gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and skin diseases.

He said that floods had proved that all the bridges on the Indus, especially the Moro-Dadu bridge, were unable to withstand flood water.

RELIEF ACTIVITIES The JI leader said Al-Khidmat, social welfare wing of the religious party, had set up a relief and medical camp at Thatta where the flood affected were being provided edibles and medicines.

He said Al-Khidmat had also established 18 relief camps in Karachi where one camp was exclusively meant for non-Muslims. He said Al-Khidmat had also established a tent city at Jamshoro and was also setting up another tent city there.

He said that in Hyderabad, Al-Khidmat was providing help in those relief camps which were not being looked after by the government and added that 16 relief camps had also been established in upper Sindh by the JI.

Answering a question, president of the Al-Khidmat Foundation Naeem Ahmed said that so far the organisation had spent Rs70 million on relief operation, adding that Rs40 million of the amount had been donated by people.

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