Thar commission report likely to remain confidential

Report to focus on recommendations rather than investigating causes of child mortality

HYDERABAD/ MITHI: Doing nothing to dispel apprehensions of a cover-up, the two members of the fifth commission formed by the Sindh government to probe the issues faced by Tharparkar hinted that the report was likely to remain confidential on Sunday.

"We will hand our report over to the government on January 5. Whether or not it publishes the report is at its discretion," Justice (retd) Ghulam Sarwar Korai told reporters in Mithi at the conclusion of his three-day visit to the region with Judge (retd) Arjun Ram K Talreja, the other commission member. The commission was formed by Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah a week ago.



Tasked to investigate the causes of child mortality as well as negligence in providing health services and relief goods, the judges instead said that their report will focus on recommendations on managing the situation and providing facilities. They added that implicating government officials for their negligence will have secondary importance.

During their visit, Korai and Talreja visited all the taluka hospitals as well as the district's Civil hospital in Mithi but drew criticism for failing to meet families who had lost their children or been denied access to relief aid.

The judges, however, denied this in their interaction with the media. Korai said that they would be receiving the written complaints and recommendations of the local people until December 20.

Five more children die

Five children became the latest casualties of drought-ravaged Tharparkar on Sunday, taking the year's unofficial death toll to 567.

The two newborn sons of Chanesar and Veerji Kolhi died in Civil Hospital, Mithi, while the deaths of three-day old Nazia, daughter of Haji Chandio, and the two-day-old son of Nisar Nohrio were reported from Nangarparkar. Meanwhile, month-old Pailok, son of Suneel, reportedly died in a village in Diplo tehsil.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2014.