No threat to Sukkur Barrage, says Khuhro

SUKKUR: Provincial Minister for Irrigation Department and Information, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro visited the Sukkur Barrage, where talking to reporters, he said the Barrage was an old one.
In the 1976 flood, it discharged 1.2 million cusecs of water, while in the floods in 2010 the discharge was the same, so there was no threat to the Barrage. The minister said protective dykes are being monitored by the irrigation department and all dykes are stable. He said there is a possibility of discharge of more than 0.7 million cusecs.
Talking about the Karachi Operation, he said the MQM had demanded an operation like the Zarb-e-Azb in Karachi from army. He said the ongoing operation is in favour of the people of Sindh, because it is for the elimination of terrorists, extortionists, drug mafias, land grabbers and social evils. He said due to such operation, the writ of government has been restored in Karachi and other cities of Sindh.
He advised that those political parties which are against the operation must challenge it in the court. Khuhro said there was no hand behind reshuffling in Sindh cabinet nor it was the result of any pressure from any institution.
Meanwhile, the minister visited vulnerable embankments of the River Indus at Akil Aghani, Nusrat Loop Bund, Mario Bund and others on Sunday evening. He was accompanied by Secretary Irrigation Syed Zaheer Haidar Shah, MPA Sardar Khan Chandio and other concerned officials.
Speaking to journalists Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said there was no threat of flood in Sindh at the moment. All flood- fighting measures have been taken to control the situation. The irrigation staff has been put on high alert and their leaves had been cancelled.
He said 46 points along river dykes had been declared sensitive and are being monitored round the clock. Khuhro said the PDMA and Revenue department should collect the figure by survey to ascertain the number of inundated villages in Katcha areas.
He criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan saying that the PTI chief has detained himself in closed street. Executive Engineer Syed Noor Shah briefed the minister about the flood situation, saying all protective dykes were intact. Deputy Commissioner Larkana Javed Ali Jagirani, Chief Engineer Nazir Mahar, Executive Engineer Abdul Ghafoor Soomro, PPP Leader Abdul Fatah Bhutto and others were present.