PTI leadership bent upon creating anarchy: Sharjeel

KARACHI: Sindh’s Senior Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, has said that an imprisoned person is trying to stir chaos and anarchy in the country to achieve his objectives while ignoring the problems of the countrymen.

Addressing a media briefing, Sindh’s Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, said the public is not concerned about political posturing but about the problems posed by inflation. He said businesspeople, farmers, labourers, etc., are desperately seeking relief and are fed up with the populist politics.

Referring to the grave situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Memon said despite the loss of 90 people in a tragic incident, the chief minister is not present in their midst. He questioned why the KP police, who are actively used in CM Gandapur’s rallies, is not being deployed in Parachinar where they are truly needed. Questioning the reckless use of provincial government machinery, he asked if the political and administrative machinery was supporting the families of the victims or planning to attack the capital. Criticising the priorities of the KP government, the Sindh senior minister asked them to prove a single successful, public initiative despite running the province for the last 12 years. He charged the political hierarchy of the KP with a misplaced focus that led to the attack on the Army Public School and the break-in at Bannu Jail which complicated the problems for the people. Had the provincial economy fared any better the people of the province would not have had to leave their homes in search of employment opportunities in Sindh or other provinces, the Sindh minister said. Against this backdrop, they are attempting to stir chaos in the country, Memon said.

Sharjeel Memon said the disruptive politics of PTI are only aimed at destabilising the country. The ‘foreign leader’ has no concern for the countrymen and is busy fomenting chaos. He blamed the PTI for not even making a single demand for the betterment of the people except for seeking power for Imran Khan. Memon said when the PPP leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur were arrested, the party did not engage in any illegal actions. Despite having a government in Sindh, they did not use government machinery against the federal capital. Terming the people as astute and aware, he said the people have seen through their designs. Being tired and frustrated they are not responding to the PTI calls for agitation. He said the time has come to stop disruptive politics of chaos and abusive language. The minister said people need relief from their daily hardships and need employment, health and education.

The minister claimed that on the other hand as soon as the Pakistan Peoples Party came to power in Sindh, they began issuing Kisan Cards. The provincial government is working to provide free electricity to the people through solarisation. Additionally, houses are being constructed for 2.1 million people, and the government is single-mindedly focused on completing this project. Furthermore, they are striving to provide the best possible facilities for health and education to the public. He said there are signs of economic recovery with the improvement of the stock exchanges that are setting record volumes of business every day. The minister for Transport, and Mass Transit, said the Sindh government introduced Electric Vehicle (EV) buses in the country, followed by launching the Pink Bus service for women. He said work is underway on the Red Line and Yellow Line BRT projects. The government, Memon said also plans to introduce EV taxis to provide employment opportunities for the unemployed youth.

In response to a question, the provincial minister said, at the behest of the PTI’s founder, his wife, Bushra Bibi, made a shameful statement regarding Saudi Arabia. Even the remaining PTI leadership tried to distance themselves from that stance against one of the best friends of the Pakistani people. To another question, Sharjeel Memon said the PPP has never opposed talks while on the other hand, Imran Khan is the biggest obstacle to dialogue.

Regarding Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s stance on the proposed canals from the Indus, the provincial minister said that is in line with the policy of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Sindh government. He mentioned that the Sindh Chief Minister has also written letters to the federal government on this issue. Memon said the PPP Chairman is clear about water projects and elaborated that the issue should be resolved through negotiations. He said the Sindh government will never compromise on the rights of farmers. The Sindh senior minister said as long as the smaller provinces’ are objecting to the canal issue, the project should not be taken up.