To seek support in elections: Shahbaz meets leaders of MQM-P Bahadurabad, ANP

KARACHI: The President of PML-N and Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, blamed the K-Electric for the current power crisis in the megapolis, saying the power utility was not running its two 250 megawatts, furnace-fuel-fired power plants, during curtailment of gas supply. He said he had asked the prime minister to look into the issue, and added: “I have also requested the prime minister [Shahid Khaqan Abbasi] to ensure there is no load-shedding during Ramazan.”

Earlier, Shahbaz arrived in Karachi and called on the MQM-P (Bahadurabad) Convener, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and other leaders and discussed the terms of their ‘possible’ cooperation in the upcoming General Election 2018. MQM-P leader Aminul Haque told The News that his party eyed Shahbaz as having a different philosophy and approach than his predecessor, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and hoped that they could build a working relationship, given the implementation on their “agreement” starts.

Keeping in view their position in the current political scenario, not to mention their financial challenges, the MQM-P presented 10-points to Shahbaz that includes implementation of the federal government’s development packages for Karachi and Hyderabad, resolving the K-Electric issue though prime minister's intervention, establishment of a university in Hyderabad and reinstatement and regularization of workers sacked from the Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim. About the political polarisation, Haque said the MQM is suffering for the past 30 years like what the PML-N is undergoing these days. He commented: “Political matters should be solved politically and there should not be any attempts to re-engineer the political landscape.”

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Shahbaz said:“We should all work together to restore the 'City of Lights'. No one can do it alone.” He said Karachi has been subjected to ‘sheer injustice’. He asserted it is necessary to find out about the embezzlement in the funds for Karachi. He said his meeting with the MQM-P (Bahadurabad) was worthwhile and ‘clarified’ that he didn’t bring any political agenda with him. He said Karachi is like a mother to the country as people from across the country live here. He added the city needed economic justice and sustainable peace. He said he knew of his party’s strength in the city and with the MQM-P on its side could revamp the infrastructure to make the communication network, power and water supplies better. “We can turn it into New York of South Asia.”

Shahbaz also addressed a Jirga at the Mardan House where held a meeting with ANP leader Shahi Syed. He said the Awami National Party and the PML-N will walk forward hand-in-hand to improve the city situation. The Punjab chief minister also held meetings with industrialists and traders at the Governor House.

Later, addressing the PML-N workers in Lyari and Baldia Town, he reflected on the violent past of the city and said because of Nawaz Sharif’s efforts, peace was restored in the city. He said Nawaz tasked the then DG Rangers, Sindh, in 2013 to stop the targeted killings and extortion in the city. He said the infrastructure and the provision of basic amenities in the city has been destroyed in the past 30 years and termed it a cruel injustice with the city that contributed to the country's economy the most. “There are heaps of garbage everywhere and no water for drinking,” he commented, claiming if the people voted his party into power again, he will make sure things improve here.

Describing Lahore as a model city, he said the projects like Metro Bus and Orange Train have been completed there. “Shouldn’t they have been started here first?” he asked. He criticised the Pakistan People's Party-led Sindh government for ignoring the city. “There will be water in every house within two years, if we make it to power.”

He said the PPP and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf get angry with him when he points out their wrongdoings. He added like the PPP, the PTI also did not make any plausible development in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He reiterated his comments about the PPP which are a deformed version of a nationalist slogan “Marso Marso Sindh Na Desun (We can die but cannot give up Sindh)” and said “I say its Marson Marson Kaam Na Desun (We can die but cannot work nor let others do).”

Shahbaz will remain in the city on Monday (today) and will attend the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy. He is also stated to participate in a conference on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It is his second visit to Karachi in April, since becoming the PML-N chief following the disqualification of Nawaz.