CM has breakfast at roadside eatery in Saddar

Asks citizens to help him restore Karachi’s status of city of lights

Karachi

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had a breakfast of “anda (fried eggs) paratha” at a roadside eatery near Empress Market on Saturday after visiting different areas of Karachi to review the rain situation and asked citizens to help him restore the metropolitan’s status as the city of lights.

“This can only be possible when every citizen, irrespective of their socio-political or religious affiliation, plays their due role. I need your help, Karachi is our home and it is our collective responsibility to keep home neat and clean,” he told reporters at the eatery.

While visiting the roads and different localities of the city, he was accompanied by his principal secretary Naveed Kamran Baluch and Karachi Commissioner Aijaz Khan

He said that he was well aware of the issues of the city because he was born here.

“I rode my bike on the roads of Karachi and have travelled in passenger buses,” he said.

“I was student at the NED University and his point bus took the route from Kalapul, Mahmoodabad, Chanisar Halt, Sharea Faisal, Civic Center and University Road.  I know Karachi and love this city,” he added.

The chief minister said that he was worried because of the continuous rainfall since Friday evening. “I was in touch with the commissioner and the administrator for draining rainwater from the roads and low-lying areas. I have also talked to the KE MD to restore electricity to the areas where feeders tripped.”

He directed the commissioner and administrator Karachi to ensure all deputy commissioners and DMC administrators were in the field along with their workers.

When a reporter asked him a political question, the chief minister showed him the wall of the tea-house where it was written in bold letter ‘political discussion is forbidden.’ “I am sorry if I discussed political issues here the managers of the tea house may file a complaint against me,” he said in lighter mood.

A resident of Saddar area told the chief minister that there was power breakdown in his area from early morning. On this the chief minister talked to the KE MD on his cell phone and urged him to restore electricity as soon as possible.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that he would personally keep an eye on development works, municipal services, traffic issues and environmental and such other issues affecting day-to-day life. “We have planned to lift garbage from the city in a very comprehensive way and it would be started shortly,” he said.

Sindh Chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also got report from other district administration about rainfall in their areas and its impact. He directed them to be in the field and make every effort to drain out rain water from the roads and help people when they need.

According to report given by Commissioner Hyderabad Qazi Shahid Paraiz, Hyderabad city has received 112 mm rainfall as a result almost every road and locality have been inundated. He told the chief minister that he had installed necessary machines to drain out accumulated rainwater at Qasimabad, in different localities of Latifabad. By Sunday morning all roads would be cleared and then the de-watering machines would be moved to low-lying areas.    

The Shaheed Benazirabad report as received by the chief minister says that 30 mm rainfall was recorded in taluka Nawabshah, 25mm in Sakrand, 12mm in Kazi Ahmed, and 28mm in Daur.

 

CM calls on PPP chief

Shah also called on PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and briefed him on his week-long activities as provincial executive.  He also discussed with him the performance of his cabinet members.

Governor takes notice

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan has taken notice of rain water entering houses along the Gujjar Nullah.

According to a statement of the Governor House issued on Saturday, the governor has directed the Karachi administrator to take immediate steps to drain out the accumulated water.

As per the statement, the governor has also called for provision of relief to the affected ones and warned that no dereliction in this regard would be tolerated.

Dr Ebad also contacted the Karachi commissioner and management of the K-Electric and directed that the rain-related issues must be resolved promptly.

He also called for emergent and effective steps for draining out the accumulated rain water from main thoroughfares and low-lying areas.

The governor further directed that the cleaning of storm drains should be ensured and that there should be effective implementation towards the rain emergency. He also directed the Hyderabad administration to take emergent steps for draining out the accumulated rain water from the roads.