Bilawal hopes PM Imran will come to Karachi with relief plan for Sindh

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his first press conference after the torrential rains that wreaked havoc in Sindh, said on Friday that he hopes that Prime Minister Imran Khan will come to the province with rehabilitation, reconstruction and relief plans when he arrives in Karachi.

"We are looking forward to packages that the PM will announce to provide relief to the people of the province," said the PPP chairman. He added that the rains have exacerbated the problems of the people of Sindh after facing the coronavirus pandemic and locust attacks.

Bilawal said that the Sindh chief minister and his entire team were "working endlessly to provide relief to the people of the province".

The PPP chairman also shared that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided Sindh with some financial support but emphasised that the province's requirement was "way more than the allocated amount".

"We are looking forward to our disaster management authority for more funds to reinstate the city," said Bilawal.

The PPP chairman said that this year's monsoon spells have highlighted two issues facing the provincial capital.

Bilawal also noted that in the past not much attention was given to the infrastructural issues of the city. He added that the Sindh CM had put forward a Rs800 billion plan for Karachi.

"If the amount we demand is allocated, we are sure that the most issues of the city can be resolved. We need massive support from the federation to pull the city out of these catastrophic situation," said Bilawal.

The PPP chairman also shared that the Sindh CM not only visited various districts of Karachi but also ensured his presence during these calamitous times. He added that that CM Murad has also visited those places where he did not have any authority and extended his "help out of humanity and on moral grounds".

"The federation should not only provide relief but also provide compensation for the damages," said Bilawal. He added that the Sindh government was looking forward to the federal government in helping it reinstate poor people's houses which were swept away during the rains.

Bilawal also thanked Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif for his visit to Karachi.

Power outages

The PPP chairman asked the government to immediately address the "issue of power outages" and the recent price hike in electricity tariffs.

"Recently, I have heard about the hike in power prices, I am speechless that how did they make such a decision especially in these times when the institution has failed to deliver," said Bilawal. He appealed to the federal government to retract the decision.