Sindh Cabinet on Saturday set June 30, 2006 as last date for renewing lease of all such lands whose lease has expired. Briefing newsmen about the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting, held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Information Adviser Salahuddin Haider said the matter regarding came up before the Cabinet which noted that there are lands whose lease stood expired since 1961.
Out of such lands, lease of 580 acres of land had been renewed in the 90s. However, still there was 3000 acres of land whose lease is yet to be renewed and set June 30 for this purpose.
The Adviser said the Cabinet decided to institute cases against Defence Housing Authority, Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority in the Sindh High Court for occupying the lands of the provincial government.
The Cabinet pointed out that they would have to get authority from Sindh government for these lands for which they will have to pay the required fee. The Cabinet decided to provide 200 and 100 acres of land to Higher Education Commission free of cost in the Education City for establishment of engineering and law universities respectively.
The Cabinet decided that religious parties and organisations will have to take prior permission from provincial Home Department to hold gatherings in public places or at their office premises.
Salahuddin Haider said till now, religious parties and organisations were exempted from this "formality" but now they would have to seek permission from Home Secretary for such meetings.
He said a cell set up in home department comprising DCO, police officials and other provincial authorities will co-ordinate with religious parties and organisations in holding large gatherings and congregations to prevent any mishap. "Religious gatherings like Soyem and Jumma congregations would be exempted" the Adviser said.
He said IG Police briefed the Cabinet on investigations regarding Nishtar Park tragedy. The Cabinet directed for early completion of the probe and decided that the report after finalisation will be presented before the Sindh Assembly.
The Cabinet felt it was now proven that Nishtar Park tragedy was the cause of "suicide attack" and called for ending all speculations in this regard. Arbab Rahim told the meeting that federal and provincial governments were probing the tragic incident and added those accusing Sindh Governor and Home Minister in this regard should refrain from making "baseless allegations".
The Adviser said that Cabinet directed the finance department to immediately pay compensation cheques to heirs of deceased and to those injured in Nishtar Park and Faizan-e-Madina incidents, besides paying hospital bills of those badly hurt.
He said the IG Police said he was not aware if any FBI team visiting or inspecting Nishtar Park and added it might be US diplomats, stationed in Islamabad.
"Sunni Tehreek leaders Abbas Qadri was six guards, Iftikhar Bhatti five, Hafiz Taqi and Akram Qadri two each, while injured Tariq Mehboob had three," Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui informed the Cabinet.
Salahuddin Haider said Cabinet offered Fateha for those who embraced martyrdom in Nishtar Park and prayed for early recovery of injured.