Hyderabad mayor quits in a huff

KARACHI, 30 March — The government’s devolution plan, launched amid fanfare last year, was given a jolt when the newly-elected administrator of Hyderabad quit in a huff, protesting against what he called “the indifferent attitude of the bureaucracy” toward a system that was designed to serve the people. Makhdoom Rafiq, former home minister in Sindh and twice elected to the provincial legislature, was said to have taken a “long leave” from the tiresome job. He made this announcement before the district assembly, which the military government has helped establish as part of its program to strengthen democracy at the grass root level.