Roll back of 18th amendment to be resisted strongly : Murad Shah

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the Thar is game changers and “we have changed the game by excavating coal and now going to transmit first electron in the national grid in December 2018.”

This he said while addressing a delegation of 215 participants of National Security & War Course-2019 of National Defence University who called on him here at the Cm House. The programme was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, IG Police Kaleem Imam and provincial secretaries.

He said that the achievement of open pit mining, installation of coal-fired power plant and production of electricity has a long and painful history. “The coal mining and coal-based power project plan was initiated by Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto during her second tenure and her successive government not only scrapped the project but dishonored international commitment,” he said and added therefore no international firm was ready to invest in Thar.

Mr Shah said that when all the doors were found close the provincial government in partnership with Engro formed a company and started mining work. “With the grace of Almighty Allah coal has been produced from the mine and coal-based power plant is also at the completion stage and in December 2018 we would start producing electricity from the coal,” he said proudly.

He also recalled that Thar means desert, there was only tracks leading to coalfield. “The Sindh government has invested over $1 billion dollar to develop road network, airport and other facilities in Thar, this is why Thar has become land of opportunities where investment in coal mining power generation, tourism, hotel industry, transport and and in other sectors is actively attracting investors,” he said.

Drought: Murad Ali Shah said, the question arises when a city has been developed and billion of dollars investment was taking place there why children are dying and poverty is on the increase. Replying to the question he raised himself, he said that the poverty is the result of drought. A large portion of the population lives on the deserts. Their livelihood depends on rainfall, they grow bajar, juwar and such other crops when it pour down heavily. He added that when it does not pour down people start migrating and in the migration their cattle and children die. He said that the cause of children’s death is early marriages, malnutrition and lack of awareness. Mostly, weak children are born there and the ratio of pre-mature births is also high. Mostly the children who are born at home by untrained traditional `daies’ are taken to hospitals where they couldnot survie. “This child death ratio is not so high as is being propagated,” he said and added “we have started distributing wheat free of cost, and have alunched nutrition programme and upgraded all the tehsil and district headquarter hospitals where all the facilities are available.

Terrorims: Talking about terrorism, Murad Ali Shah said that historically Sindh was a land of peace, tranquility and seat of learning but with the passage of time and wrong policies the province of Sindh, particularly Karachi suffered a lot at the hands of terrorism.

He said that he was proud to say that Sindh has not produced any terrorist but all the terrorists came from other areas.

 “Oh yes, the wave of extremism also affected this land of sufis and some facilitators of terrorist emerged here and they inflicted serious damage to the social fabric, economy, education and every sector,” he said and added finally a targeted operation was launched against terrorists, target killers and extortionists and its results are very good. Now, the street crime is a big challenge and we have launched policy to counter it squarely and it would also be eliminated.

Mr Shah said that after restoring law and order the dilapidated infrastructure of the city, including under passes and overhead bridges has been reconstructed. Must delayed K-IV bulk water supply and S-III projects and other water treatment projects have also been initiated. 

“We have also launched public transport project and Inshallah the project of KCR would also see light of the day shortly,” he said and added the establishment of new industrial zones would create employment opportunities.

Dams: Replying to a question, the chief minister said that the water shortage has badly affected ecology of Indus delta. Our river system has not so much water that new dams be constructed. 

“The solution of water shortage could be controlled through conservation, change in cropping patter – means we would have to switch over to low delta crops and canal lining,” he said and added take this year, the kharif season faced water shortage and again prediction of 40 percent shortage of water has been made for Kharif season and this kind of situation goes on year after year and once in 10 to eight years floods are received.

 “In this situation how new dams can be constructed,” he said and added “we do not oppose dams but our narration is very clear,” he said.

81th Amendment: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah replying to a question said that the 18th constitutional amendment has strengthened the federation. 

After the 18th amendment provincial governments have become administratively, financially and democratically strong. Its fruits are being harvested by all the provincial governments. He said that Sindh has become financially a little strong with the creation of SRB which collects services on sales. Similarly, Punjab has become financially stronger.

There are some people who believe in centralization of powers are opposing 18th amendment, he said and added in the modern democracy powers are devolved. “We would strongly oppose any attempt to roll back 18th amendment,” he would.

Earlier, Chief Instructor of National Defence University (NDU) Rear Admiral Zain Zulfiquar thanked the chief minister for meeting with his delegation and presented him a memento. The chief minister also presented memento to the NDU Chief Instructor.