close
Thursday March 28, 2024

PTI leaders 'becoming obstacles to work' on COVID-19, Sindh govt hits back at centre

Murtaza Wahab asked: 'Have the governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa brought the situation under control?'

By Web Desk
April 13, 2020
Federal Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda (L), of the PTI, and Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani (R), of the PPP, address press conferences, April 12, 2020. Geo News/Screenshots via The News

KARACHI: The PTI leaders were "becoming obstacles to work" on the response against the COVID-19 pandemic, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said Sunday, as the provincial government hit back at its federal counterpart after the ruling party's ministers held a "fault-finding" press conference earlier in the day.

Addressing a press conference flanked by Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Ghani alleged that the federal government was creating obstacles "at the behest of the prime minister" instead of lending a helping hand.

While they should be  "helpful, PTI leaders are becoming obstacles to the work," he said. "And this is happening at the behest of the prime minister, who has let them loose to become hurdles in Sindh government’s work."

Ghani's remarks came after PTI ministers Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, and Faisal Vawda held a press conference in the city and slammed the PPP government for their response to the virus as the number of cases in Sindh continues to rise.

The criticism from PTI was made after the number of cases in Sindh rose to 1,411, with two new deaths on Sunday, but Punjab still led at 2,464 cases of the country's total of more than 5,200.

'Sindh failed to implement lockdown'

The surge in cases a day prior had prompted the Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah-led government to quarantine several areas of Karachi to prevent the further spread of the virus. The government, however, subsequently backed away from sealing off entire neighbourhoods, opting instead to quarantine specific areas with large numbers of cases.

"Because of the Sindh government's incompetence, the number of cases is rising," Vawda said while addressing the PTI press conference. "The Sindh government needs to see what is happening in Hyderabad, Larkana, and Jacobabad."

Criticising the provincial government over its move to seal 12 union councils in the metropolis, the federal minister said: "How can the government seal 12 UCs? People will come out on the streets."

He added the government had failed to implement the lockdown. "I don't want to engage in politicking at such a time but I had no choice. I assure the residents of Karachi that the PTI stands with them.

'Industries are open in US and Europe'

"Where is the Rs2 billion that was given to help the people? The people are dying of hunger," he added.

Separately, Zaidi slammed the PPP over its "lax attitude" towards the province's health sector. The minister said after the 18th Amendment, health was the responsibility of provincial governments.

Factories that could implement guidelines should be allowed to operate, said Naqvi. "The government is taking decisions without homework and then takes them back," he said. "Industries are open in US and Europe," the PTI leader claimed.

The lawmakers' calls to allow factories to function echo their party chief's opinions on the matter. PM Imran Khan has repeatedly refused imposing a nationwide lockdown, citing the impact on the economy and the challenges to the poor people.

'Sorry picture of government's neglect'

Meanwhile, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab and the provincial information minister, Nasir Shah, held a press conference in the evening to respond to PTI's "fault-finding" briefing.

Addressing Vawda, Wahab wondered what opinion the PTI minister had of the other provincial governments. "Have the governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa brought the situation under control?

"The minister raising a hue and cry over the non-availability of food to people in Sindh seems to be blind to Punjab's problems," he said. "KP's hospitals paint a very sorry picture of the government's neglect," he added.

"The prime minister's team suffers from a Sindh-government phobia," said Wahab.

'Worst enemies of the people'

He said PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto had asked all party members to refrain from political mudslinging otherwise if the truth behind the federation's failures was laid bare, it would make people forget the coronavirus.

The spokesperson said the Sindh government cared for its people, whereas the PTI ministers, "like always, are the worst enemies of the people".

Citing the Ehsaas Programme whereby people received relief funds from the government to sustain themselves during the lockdown, the minister said that the programme lacks a sense of "compassion".

"The programme is simply being used as an excuse to let people out. The federal government is encouraging people to come out and ruin the lockdown."

PM and his ministers will be the ones to blame

Nasir Hussain Shah regretted the duplicity in the PTI ministers' thinking when it comes to sealing off of areas. "When Lahore's union councils are sealed off, there is nothing but praise for the decision. When Karachi's union councils were cordoned off, there was only criticism."

"The union councils in question had more than 150 virus cases... our lawmakers are actually doing work. We are doing whatever we can to address the coronavirus crisis.

"Decisions have to be taken according to the situation of the coronavirus," said the information minister.

Shah questioned the wisdom behind having people gather to collect funds when that could be the biggest source of spread for the virus. He added that if the situation aggravated, the prime minister and his ministers would be the ones to blame.

'Of no use'

In a subsequent development later in the night, Wahab said the quality of kits sent by the federal government was such that they were "not fit for clinical examination".

Sharing images of text accompanying the kits, he said the batches of 3,000 and then 17,000 kits sent "were of no use" since they did not contain the VTMs and swabs necessary to conduct tests.

Wahab said the federal government "should be ashamed for what you people have done and what you preach".