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Tuesday March 19, 2024

'Country sinking under Imran’s rule'

Addressing the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday, Murad Ali Shah warned the federal government to stop threatening them about hanging people.

By M Waqar Bhatti
January 23, 2019

KARACHI: A very agitated Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah heavily criticised the prime minister on Tuesday and said the “economic state of the country is very bad and I can see the economy damaged irreversibly under your government and during your tenure as the prime minister". He added: "Stop hanging people and work for those who have voted you to power,” and warned the government would not be able to continue its tenure if any unlawful action was taken.

Addressing the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday, Murad Ali Shah warned the federal government to stop threatening them about hanging people. Alluding to ZAB, he claimed they had hanged the one who is still alive and added he and his government is answerable to the people of Sindh, who elected them with an overwhelming majority.

The chief minister alleged that the PTI-led federal government is not serious for the revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), which is evident from the fact that when he presented this project in the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting in China last December, his name was put on the Exit Control List (ECL) as a punishment.

Responding to opposition’s criticism on the Sindh government regarding the revival of KCR, Syed Murad Ali Shah said he wrote four letters to previous federal government led by Mian Nawaz Sharif who responded to his letters, but deplored the present government was not even responding to his letters. He alleged the serious in the revival of the KCR and added they could contribute up to 15 percent amount needed for the revival.

During the speech of the Sindh Chief Minister, opposition members, especially the PTI MPAs, protested and all tried to speak at once, but Murad Ali Shah continued his fiery speech, while the Speaker Aga Siraj Durrani failed to bring the house to order. The opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, while responding to Murad Ali Shah, said they had only talked about hanging the corrupt and added nobody should take this personally.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly rejected a resolution by PTI MPA Sidra Imran regarding the worsening condition of the District Hospital Tando Allahyar claiming the hospital lacked consultants, basic diagnostic facilities and even paramedical staff.

The Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh rejected the resolution, saying the provincial government is providing best available health facilities to masses.

Following a debate on the resolution, when it was presented for adoption through voting, majority of the MPAs rejected the motion.

The provincial unanimously adopted a resolution by Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan on payment of pension to retired employees of the Pakistan Steel who were not paid since 2013.