Sindh Information and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said on Saturday that learned people have always been the source of Karachi’s main identity. He was talking to the media at the Arts Council, which he had visited to see an art exhibition of works by the students of the council’s institute of arts & crafts.
The minister claimed that the revival of cultural activities in the city was made possible due to the sacrifices rendered by the activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Answering a question regarding frequent fire incidents across the city and the response of the fire brigade to control the situation, Ghani said the fire brigade department in the city operates under the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
“The Sindh government does give money to the KMC so it can disburse salaries to its employees. The provincial administration also pays for the municipal body’s electricity bills and for purchasing its fire tenders,” he said.
“In such circumstances, if the Sindh government is also required to bear the fuel expenses of the KMC’s vehicles, then it should be regarded as an injustice because the municipal body has to set its priorities right.”
The minister claimed that two of the highest snorkels in the world used in firefighting were available in Pakistan and one of which was in Karachi, saying that it had been bought by the Sindh government for the KMC. Apart from this, the provincial administration also purchased fire tenders for the municipal body, he added.
“The Sindh government is doing whatever it can for the KMC, but it is unfair that the provincial administration is being linked with frequent news reports on the municipal body’s vehicles running out of fuel.”
Replying to a question, the information minister said the alliance between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as coalition government partners was like an instance of forced marriage, adding that such forced marriages did not last long.
On another query regarding allegedly suspicious meetings being conducted by the Sindh police chief, Ghani claimed that a few police officers, including the incumbent IGP, had been involved in such practices, but the majority of the police officials had been discharging their duties honestly.
“A group of very few persons under [IGP] Kaleem Imam has been involved in hatching this conspiracy. If they are so fond of appearing in the media and politicking, then they should do so only after they retire and joining the PTI or any other political party. They should avoid serving any political party while they’re in government service.”
Ghani claimed that the consent of Prime Minister Imran Khan had been involved in the Sindh government’s move to remove the present IGP, but news reports to the contrary were being disseminated by a few leaders of the PTI’s Sindh chapter for the satisfaction of their own self, as they had a lot to depend on the police chief and a few of the officers in his close circle.
Commenting on a statement of PTI Sindh leader Haleem Adil Shaikh implicating Ghani in activities of drug peddlers in Karachi, the information minister said that it was better for Shaikh to have a medical examination done on him (Ghani) as well as on PM Khan to know the truth who actually uses narcotics.
Ghani said that he was prepared to face an investigation if a judicial inquiry was launched both in the case of allegations pending against him as well as those against Shaikh.