People of Sindh to get Covid-19 vaccines in current week, says Asad Umar

SUKKUR: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Omar has said that the federal government would start providing the Covid-19 vaccine among the people of Sindh in the current week but warned the PPP’s provincial government against politicizing the sensitive issue.

The federal minister said the central government has launched several development projects in Karachi and Balochistan and added that they have proposed several development projects for other districts of Sindh as well. While addressing a press conference in Sukkur and later addressing a ceremony in Shikarpur on Monday, the federal minister said the prime minister will personally inaugurate the development programmes.

He said the PTI government has planned to build a new bridge on the Indus River near Sukkur soon and said the problems in Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, which are causing delays in the project, would be resolved soon. He also pledged that the Karachi’s K-4 water pipeline project would be completed by July. He said it is strange that while chief minister Sindh had expressed satisfaction over the Karachi Package, his adviser Murtaza Wahab is not satisfied.

Criticising the PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Umar said Rehman is offering services to foreign countries. He denied the federal government is planning to install the Governor’s Rule in Sindh but said it is the duty of the federal government to pay attention to the concerns of provinces. But it is unfortunate that when the federal government begins to address the concerns of the people of Sindh, the provincial government starts talking about violation of the 18th Amendment. The federal minister charged the Sindh CM with opposing the federal government when the latter was dispersing financial handouts to the people at the height of Covid-19. Umar said it is very strange that Sindh was selling wheat at excessive prices than the rest of the country. He said from July to Dec, the price of wheat in Punjab was Rs860 for 20 kg but in the case of Sindh, its price ranged from Rs1,200-1,300 and the people of Sindh should seek an explanation from the CM and Sindh cabinet over expensive prices of the commodity.

He said the federal government is fulfilling all the constitutional responsibilities in the provinces, including poverty alleviation, Covid-19 situation, health and education. He said the central government has procured the Covid-19 vaccine and has asked SAPM Dr Faisal Sultan to call a meeting of the health ministers to consult with them how to register the people for inoculation, distribution of the vaccine and training to the paramedics to administer that. He clarified that the vaccine would be made available to everyone across all the provinces without discrimination. However, he charged the Sindh chief minister with politically exploiting the NCOC decisions. Umar also asked the provincial government not to politicise the vaccine issue.

Later, addressing a gathering at Sultan Kot, the native town of PTI leader from Shikarpur, Agha Taimoor Khan Pathan, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said that the prime minister has issued directions to visit Sindh to identify development schemes for the districts.

He crticised the provincial government, saying that within two months, the federal government disbursed Rs 65 bn among the poor during the Covid-19 first wave. He said the federal government is procuring the coronavirus vaccine, which would be made available to the people of Sindh in the current week but the Sindh government was politicizing the issue.

Umar announced starting development work in Shikarpur soon. He criticized the lawlessness in Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Ghotki and said people of these areas are feeling insecure because of Dakoo Raj and a report in that context would be presented to the prime minister of Pakistan.

Umar also visited the Mahar House at Lakhi Ghulam Shah where he discussed important issues with MNA Ghous Bakhash Khan Mahar.