Sharjeel puts ball in CM’s court on Altaf’s speech matter

Karachi
Sindh Minister for Local Government Sharjeel Memon on Sunday said any final decision on a proposed assembly motion to debate Altaf Hussain’s most recent outburst rests with Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.
He issued the comments when questioned by The News on the Pakistan People’s Party’s stance over calls to bring the MQM chief’s speech up for debate in the Sindh Assembly. While he reserved his personal comments on the matter, he assured that consensus was vital for any future course of action.
Earlier on Saturday, a resolution tabled by Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti was passed against MQM chief Altaf Hussain – supported by members of both treasury and opposition benches. That was followed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s decision to table resolutions in the Punjab, KPK and Sindh assemblies, with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz also announcing support for any such move in the latter.

Water crisis
As for the intensifying water shortage in the city, Memon assured that the Sindh government was taking all measures to overcome the problem at the earliest. He said there has been unequal distribution of water in the past and held such ill-planned policies responsible for the present situation.
“At the moment, the KWSB is facing a distribution and management crisis, but we are hopeful that the recent recruitment for the water board will help improve things,” he said, adding that a committee under Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqi’s command was working round-the-clock on the matter.

Cop killings
The minister said the recent wave of killings of policemen in Karachi was part of a cowardly reaction strategy of terrorist outfits. However, he reiterated the government’s support for law enforcers and said the police would not give up its fight.