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Imran Ismail ready to serve as bridge between Sindh and Centre

By Our Correspondent
August 14, 2018

The Sindh governor designate is prepared to serve as a bridge between the incoming federal and Sindh governments for swift completion of major development projects in the best interest of the people of the province.

Imran Ismail made the statement while talking to the media on Monday after being sworn in as an MPA of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Sindh Assembly. He was flanked by the new legislators of the PTI, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), who are likely to put up joint opposition to the treasury bench in the provincial legislature’s latest term.

His swearing-in came as a surprise because he would need to resign as MPA in the next few days to take the provincial governor’s office after the forming of the PTI-led federal administration.

Ismail, who won the PS-111 (South-V) constituency in last month’s general elections, told the media that accountability and transparency need to be ensured in Sindh’s development projects, warning of zero tolerance for corruption.

“Corruption is one such issue over which we’ll have a dispute with the Sindh government, so we’re going to request that it bring transparency and clarity in its budgetary affairs.”

He said that besides corruption, there would be no other issue that could cause tension between the incoming Sindh government of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and federal administration of the PTI. “While I was inside the House [Sindh Assembly], I sensed no tension [between the treasury and opposition benches]. Tension exists only in verbal discourse,” he claimed.

Ismail said he would focus on those development projects that could provide the maximum benefits to the people, adding that he would request PTI chief Imran Khan to announce a development package for Sindh that could prove beneficial for both rural and urban areas.

He said he would work with the provincial government for initiating and swiftly completing development projects, adding that he had asked chief minister designate Syed Murad Ali Shah to hold a meeting to discuss their plans for Sindh’s development and then approach the prime minister together for their implementation.

The incoming governor said he would also talk with other political stakeholders in Sindh, including the GDA and the MQM, regarding the possible development package that the PTI-led federal government would announce for the province.

Responding to a question as to how he would exercise authority to bring improvement in the province when the Constitution gives no executive power to the governor, Ismail said: “It all comes down to the individual’s choice, if one would like to be a dummy governor or a dummy mayor.”

He said that being the governor he would prove his authority in view of the fact that the affairs of Sindh cannot be run without the federation. He added that he would not tolerate corruption or any other illegal action of a PTI leader or office-bearer as well. “Inform me of any corrupt or illegal act committed by a PTI leader and I’ll take action against them no matter the name.”

Warning to PPP

In reply to another query, the governor designate warned the PPP to immediately have all encroachments around the Bilawal House razed to free the adjoining roads that fall inside the boundary of the party’s headquarters in Karachi. He said the PPP should take action to remove all such encroachments, otherwise he would have to take the required action after he becomes Sindh’s governor.

‘Emperor of Sindh’

In his retort, PPP Karachi President Saeed Ghani said through a statement that Ismail does not know about the authorities of a provincial government or the official duties of a governor. “He believes he is going to become the emperor of the province rather than the governor.”

Ghani said that no road situated around the PPP headquarters is blocked due to encroachment, and that vehicles are free to move on all such roads without any interruption.

He said Bilawal House is not just the name of a building, as it was the residence of twice-elected Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto and of the country’s former president Asif Ali Zardari. “Ismail’s ultimatum to demolish the walls of this [Bilawal] house has exposed his childish mentality.”

Ghani said the present leadership of the PPP has been facing serious threats of terrorism. “After coming to power, Ismail is supposed to demolish the walls of the Governor House according to his own commitments, but it seems that his intentions have changed now.”

The PPP leader said that the unusually hostile form of politics being practiced by the PTI that promotes political intolerance would further widen the gap between the Centre and the country’s federating units. He said that it is high time that the PTI wakes up to the situation and fully honours the provincial autonomy and powers enshrined in the 18th constitutional amendment.

Any restrictions imposed on the provincial autonomy and powers would weaken the federation, he added. “It seems that such statements of the incoming Sindh governor are part of a similar vicious agenda.”