PTI’s dream to see change of govt in Sindh will never come true: Murad

Sindh’s chief minister said on Wednesday that the dream of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to see a change in the provincial government will never come true. “Now they’re trying to resort to magical tricks, but these tricks won’t work in Sindh.”

CM Syed Murad Ali Shah was talking to the media at Al-Jameatus Saifiyah Al-Mahallat Al-Burhaniyah and later at the under-construction underpass at the intersection of Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Tariq Road. He was accompanied by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani and information adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab.

The chief executive said it is a dream of the PTI leadership to bring a change in the provincial government, but “this dream will never come true because they don’t have the numerical strength in the provincial assembly”.

“They always talk about magical tricks due to which they believe they have acquired power in the Centre,” he said in a lighter but critical vein, “but these tricks won’t work in Sindh.” He claimed that the federal administration is hatching conspiracies against the Sindh government. “If you weaken the provinces, then it means you’re weakening the federation!”

Shah said a person who has no experience of government and its system has been made prime minister. “Now, under the influence of power, he [the PM] has started conducting experiments on the people of Pakistan.”

The CM said that as part of the premier’s first experiment, he has “deprived the poor people of square meals by unleashing the tsunami of price-hike across the country”. He said the PM considers everyone a thief and a dacoit but he has forgotten that he himself is facing cases by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“You cannot rule by suppressing the people and throttling their voice. You have to deal with everyone like a good human being and ruler,” he said, adding that despite hurling threats and suppression, people raising concerns for their rights cannot be silenced.

Shah said he is against amnesty schemes because according to him, through them the government will legalise the ill-gotten wealth that the people have amassed. “Politicians are not entitled to benefit from the scheme.”

He said that after the government’s amnesty scheme failed, they started conducting raids on people’s houses. “Where are we leading this nation by creating a wave of fear, unrest and insecurity?” he wondered, saying that in such a state of affairs people will take their capital and businesses to other countries.

Rana Sanaullah

The CM condemned the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Rana Sanaullah, saying that this kind of political victimisation will further undermine the credibility of the government.

“You [the PM] are behaving like a dictator and damaging political people. This isn’t a good move and will result in a serious situation,” he said, adding that this arrest will prove to be a charge-sheet against the premier.

Karachi banners

Regarding the banners against the Sindh government that have been put up across Karachi by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Shah said the party is once again making failed attempts to hijack the people of the city.

“They never raised concerns for the rights of the people of this city. They have always abandoned their voters,” he said, adding that his government is carrying out development works in the city and serving the people without any discrimination.

“We know we don’t have any MPAs in the Shaheed-e-Millat, Tariq Road, University Road, Sharea Faisal areas and various others parts of the city, but even then we reconstructed the road network, laid drainage lines anew, and now we’re sincerely trying to resolve others issues.”

He said the people who have put up banners against his government have always played politics of destruction, hatred, division and destabilisation in this city, adding that this is an open secret.

“The people of Karachi know their friends and foes very well, and they will never be lured by their [the MQM-P’s] crocodile tears,” he said, and vowed he will resolve all the city’s issues, such as water, sanitation and cleanliness, and will improve the environment of investment.

The CM said he visited District Central and found it full of filth and garbage. He asked who the chairman of the Central District Municipal Corporation was, saying that he belonged to the MQM-P.

“We have provided them with funds and they have their own resources and sufficient sanitation staff, then why are they not pressing their chairmen to clean their districts? This is politics, and they’re playing on the direction of someone else.”

KMC performance

Shah said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has been failing to achieve all its revenue recovery targets for the past many years, adding that instead of exploring new revenue sources and achieving and improving recovery targets, the city mayor is always seen blaming the provincial government for his failures.

He said the KMC has completely failed to undertake any tangible exercise to control its non-development expenditures, rationalise the overcrowded staff and make proper use of its funds and resources, but they have only set their eyes on the provincial government’s resources.

The CM said the federal government has faced shortfall in its revenue recoveries, so it has transferred less funds to the province. “We are facing financial crunch, but even then we have given sufficient funds to the KMC so it can serve the people, but they [the KMC] lacks sincerity and the will to serve the people.”

He said the court has asked the Sindh government to devise a plan to clear Rs580 million electricity bills of the KMC up to March, adding that the provincial government has already paid over Rs320 million to the KMC and the remaining will also be paid.

But how long the provincial government will be paying the power bills of the KMC, he asked, wondering why the KMC is not evolving its own resources.

Shah said the PM had announced Rs65 billion package for Karachi and a few leaders of the PTI and the MQM-P claimed to have brought Rs45 billion, but when the budget was announced it turned out to be only Rs12 billion.

“Why are you not strengthening our hands in getting our due share from the federal government,” he asked the MQM-P leadership. He also asked why the MQM-P’s elected representatives did not talk about the K-IV project, for which the federal government had stopped providing funds.

He said that presently 400 mgd to 450 mgd water is being supplied to the city against the requirement of around 1,200 mgd. The solution of this water shortage lies in the completion of the K-IV project, he added.

The CM said the federal government was not ready to talk to the Sindh administration on K-IV and other projects, adding that this kind of attitude was detrimental for national reconstruction.

Plea bargain

Shah said he had no knowledge of Khursheed Jamali’s request to NAB for a plea bargain. “I have nothing to do with the power plant. I was only a provincial minister and had not executed installation or procurement of the power plant.”

He also said that some political actors were spreading baseless propaganda against him. He added that he was not scared of such propaganda because it had no foundation or basis.

PTI’s application

The CM said he had heard that the PTI had filed an application against him in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for violating the code of conduct of elections in Ghotki. “I went to the house of Jam Saifullah Dharejo in Karachi where he announced joining the PPP. We didn’t go to his home in Ghotki. How can it be termed a violation of the code of conduct?” he asked, saying that he would file his reply when and if the ECP issued him a letter.

He said that when the election schedule was announced, the premier went to Ghotki to offer his condolence on the death of federal minister Ali Mohammad Khan Maher. “This was a violation of the code of conduct.”

Underpasses

Earlier, visiting the under-construction underpass at the intersection of Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Tariq Road, Shah inspected the pace and quality of the work. He was given a detailed briefing on the work carried out on the project.

The project was launched for Rs437 million and around 75 per cent of its work has been completed. The CM directed Project Director Niaz Soomro to complete it by August.

He also visited the under-construction underpass at the Hyder Ali intersection launched for Rs478 million. He was given a detailed briefing by Soomro. The project has achieved 60 per cent physical progress and will be completed by the start of November.