KHAIRPUR: A girl tragically died on Saturday after being electrocuted in Baloch Khan Village of Faiz Gunj taluka of Khairpur district. Reportedly, the deceased Ameeran Baloch’s burial will be substantially delayed as all male members of her family are currently under police custody. Meanwhile, local residents appealed to the district administration for possible assistance in this regard. Four dead, two injured in separate mishaps At least four people died and two other people sustained critical injuries in separate mishaps on Saturday. Reportedly, unidentified assailants broke into Abdul Hadi Shar’s home near Sarhad area of Ghotki district and opened fire on his family over an alleged old enmity. Resultantly, Shar died on the spot while Aijaz Shar received severe bullet injuries. Meanwhile, the Sarhad Police shifted them to the Ghotki Hospital for medical attention and started further investigation into the incident. In another incident, a truck rammed into a motorcycle on National Highway near Sangi village of Sukkur district, killing motorcyclist Gulzar Ahmed Tunio on the spot and injuring his wife Soni. However, truck driver managed to escape from the spot while police shifted the deceased’s body to the Pano Aqil Hospital for autopsy and the injured woman to the Sukkur Hospital for medical attention. In another incident, a youth Ali Jan Dayo allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself to death due to poverty in Arab Solangi village near Kumb area of Khairpur. Later in the day, an unidentified body of a youth was recovered by the B-section police station officers from Mirwah Canal near Bhurgari village. Police shifted the body to the Civil Hospital in Khairpur for its identification and autopsy. SALU teachers and staff salaries released after protetst Shah Abdul Latif University’s (SALU) Spokesperson Muhammad Ibrahim Khokhar on Saturday issued a press release stating that all employees, officers and teachers have been credited their pending monthly salary in their accounts. Reportedly, he said that the Sindh government has released some funds to recover the varsity from a looming financial crisis. However, he stated that salary was one part of the crisis and many other issues were still pending to be resolved. He seemed optimist for resolution of the issue in the near future when more funds are released from the provincial government in terms of annual grant. He thanked the provincial government, Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA), Shah Abdul Latif University Teachers’ Association (SALUTA) and other stakeholders for taking a firm stance and helping authorities of the varsity in this regard. At the same time, the spokesperson criticised and condemned a group of teachers for politicising the issue for its vested interests, and subsequently suspending classes despite SALUTA’s decision to conduct classes. He said that the academic activities have been restored in the campus and midterm exams would be conducted as per schedule. Meanwhile, teachers, employees and officers continued strike for the fourth consecutive day in the SALU over non-payment of outstanding salaries and negligence in resolution of existing financial crisis. Classes remained suspended and teachers, officers and employees registered their protest by wearing black armbands. Meanwhile, SALUTA held an emergent meeting and decided that the protest would continue till the provincial government approves a regular annual grant for the varsity. However, it was decided that classes would be resumed from tomorrow after assurance from FAPUSA Sindh chapter and its subsequent meeting with Sindh Higher Education Commission (HEC) representatives. Teachers would continue to conduct academic activities while wearing black armbands. Meanwhile, the spokesperson said the university authorities were doing their best to resolve the matter. Talks were in progress with the Sindh government, he said. Funds from the HEC were not sufficient to pay the salaries and the Sindh government had not released any amount in terms of annual grant this year, thus the crisis got serious, he said. He further added that the university authorities were more concerned about the suspension of classes. He welcomed the decision of resumption of classes. Asia Foundation donates 1,300 books to SALU in Khairpur The Asia Foundation, the leading International development organisation, has donated 1,300 books of International Publishers to the Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU) in Khairpur. The donation is aimed to strengthen the research and academic infrastructure of the university. In this regard, SALU’s central library and SAFE (Students Advancement Fund Endowment) displayed books in an exhibition organised at the Peace and Conflict Hall of the varsity for visiting scholars, students and faculty members. On special directives issued by SALU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Parveen Shah, registrar Prof Dr Asad Raza Abidi inaugurated the exhibition. Besides, many scholars and faculty members were present on the occasion. The event was facilitated by SAFE Director Prof Sarfaraz Korejo and Librarian Ghulam Qadir Abbasi. Books will be added to the central library while some of the copies will be handed over to directors of all campuses of the varsity. Published in Daily Times, September 7th 2018.