Bilawal dares Imran to contest from Karachi

THARPARKAR: The PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said the federal government has usurped the rights of smaller provinces, particularly of Sindh and denied its due share in the NFC and other resources.

He was addressing the launching ceremony of a housing scheme at Sehryo village for the affected people of Thar Coalfield at Block-II on Wednesday. He said his mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Bhutto had dreamed of developing Thar through its black gold [coal]. He said Thar has, of course changed and now it is going to change Pakistan by meeting its energy shortfall and to export the surplus energy produced from the coal-based power projects. Bilawal Bhutto said the coal mining and coal-based power generation is a revolution for prosperity and development.

To a question, the chairman said the federal government is not giving due rights to the Sindh government. He said they are not fixing the tariff for power projects, they are denying NFC as well as its due water share. “Nawaz Sharif remained the prime minister of Lahore only and not of the whole of Pakistan,” he concluded. It becomes the responsibility of Pakistan government to spread the benefits of the projects being launched under CPEC such as coal-based power plant in Thar.

He said the Sindh-Engro has started a successful bio-saline agriculture project under which vegetables will be grown." Today I have not only seen bio-saline vegetables but had them in lunch as well. Now, fish farming is also taking place in Thar, it is a revolution." The PPP chairman said the development of Thar has also promoted local employment.

Replying to a question, he said in the forthcoming election the PPP would return with majority of seats. He said Karachi is the capital of Sindh and “we are developing the city,” he said. He said he has invited Imran Khan to contest election from Karachi and we would defeat him. He added Karachi is still being ruled by a local party through KMC but they are fighting with each other. Neither they are working nor allowing others to work, which is unfortunate. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari asked the people of Karachi to vote for the PPP in the forth coming general election. To another question, the chairman assured the people that the royalty of Thar coal power plant and the coal of Thar would be spent on their development. He said the Sindh government has started generating more gas-based 100 MW electricity from coal and also generating wind and solar energy. Replying to a question about complaints made by Makhdoom Saeeduzaman, he said Makhdoom Amin Fahim was the senior most and respected leader of the party. Makhdoom Saeeduzaman is being misquoted and he has no complaint against the party but has raised complaints against some MPAs.

Addressing the the hand over of keys of houses built for the affected villagers of Thar Coalfield Block-II at Sehri village, the Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said if the power projects and the Thar coal mining had started earlier, Thar would have changed Pakistan about 19 years ago. The chief minister said the Sindh government has established Thar Foundation in partnership with the Sindh Engro Coal mining Company (SECMC). The CEO of SECMC Samsuddin Shaikh and other office bearers also attended the ceremony. The foundation runs school in the Thar Coal Field Block-II and Gorano. It also runs some health facilities, including Thar Foundation Hospital, Islamkot funded by Sindh government and it would be a 80-bed facility which would be upgraded to 200 beds.The SECMS and Thar Foundation have established a village Sehri for the victims of the Thar Coal Block-II which has 172 housing units and most of them have been completed.

The PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari handed over the key of a house to Ghulam Mustafa son of Ahsan Dars, the affectee of Thar Block-II. The PPP chairman also visited the TCF school at the Sehri village. The school has started primary classes and would be upgraded. The children performed several extra curricular activities including a Karate demonstration and tableu.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahid Afridi congratulated the PPP chief and the chief minister for constructing Thar Airport and carrying out development works. He said Bilawal Bhutto is son of legendary leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who laid her life for the country. Therefore, the people of Pakistan have great hopes from him. Afridi said ‘now the children of Thar would play cricket’. “I will play [cricket] with you. Afridi presented Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali with a cheque of Rs100 million for the construction of a hospital in Thar.

Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto reached the area following inaugural landing at Mai Bakhtawar Airport, Tharparkar constructed at a cost of Rs2.2 billion to facilitate international investors.