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No negotiations on islands until PIDA ordinance withdrawn, says Murtaza Wahab

By Our Correspondent
December 05, 2020

The Sindh government has reiterated its stance that it will not hold negotiations with the Centre on the issue of two islands off Karachi’s coast until the presidential ordinance for establishing the Pakistan Islands Development Authority is withdrawn.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Law and Environment Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the presidential ordinance in question had been promulgated as an attempt to usurp the provincial government’s land.

Barrister Wahab, who also acts as the spokesman for the Sindh government, alleged that the federal government was also desirous of the 13,000 acres of land of the Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi.

He said Sindh would not let the federal government exploit the labourers as the land of the Steel Mills would automatically stand transferred back to the Sindh government if the Centre made any attempt to allot it to anyone else.

He added that the Sindh government had initiated work on the Malir Expressway in Karachi and soon a proper ground-breaking ceremony of the project would be held.

Barrister Wahab claimed that the Sindh government had completed work related to the reconstruction of 11 roads of Manora and SITE areas in Karachi.

He said work had been completed up to 90 per cent on reconstruction of Ibrahim Hyderi Road. The Sindh government spokesman said the federal government should be asked about delay in the completion of the K-IV bulk water supply and Green Line Bus Rapid Transit projects in Karachi.