PTI submits resolution in PA to seek answers over misuse

Amid media reports about the administration of China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to relatives of former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair and resultantly the suspension of a district health official, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders submitted a resolution in the Sindh Assembly on Monday, seeking answers from the provincial government.

PTI parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Bilal Ghaffar, who submitted the resolution, alleged that the provincial government had been misusing the vaccine, and instead of administering it to the frontline health workers, influential and unrelated people were being vaccinated.

The News also reported on Sunday that for the last three days, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for Covid-19 in Islamabad had been receiving complaints of wide-ranging irregularities in the administration of the coronavirus vaccine by the Sindh government due to which many “influentials but unrelated people” had benefitted.

After submitting the resolution, Ghaffar, along with other MPAs of the party, addressed a press conference at the provincial assembly, criticising the Sindh government for mismanagement of the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Instead of administering the vaccine to frontline health workers, the Sindh government has been giving it to VIPs and loved ones of influential politicians. We condemn the Sindh government’s move,” said Ghaffar.

“The PTI will not allow the Sindh government to misuse the Covid vaccine of health workers. We will ask questions about it and the Sindh government will have to answer us,” he said. PTI MPAs Arslan Taj, Raja Azhar, Adeel Ahmed, Sidra Imran, Rabia Azfar Nizami, Jamal Siddiqui, Shahnawaz Jadoon and Abbas Jaffery accompanied him.

Demolition of farmhouses

On Monday, PTI vice president and Sindh Assembly opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh had alleged that DSP anti-encroachment Mumtaz Magsi, who had led operations against the farmhouses of his brother and cousin, had a criminal record.

“The criminal record of Magsi shows that he was involved in cases of dacoity, kidnappings, car lifting, police encounters and robberies, and he had also served a jail term,” Sheikh said, claiming that the Supreme Court had ordered sacking him from his job.

He further alleged that the chief minister had sent criminals and robbers to raze the farmhouses of his brother and cousin. “Despite a stay order from the court, the Sindh government took illegal action and caused damage of millions of rupees,” he said.

Shiekh said the anti-encroachment cell had become a private force of PPP supremo Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and CM Murad Ali Shah. “The PPP has recruited people of their criminal wing in anti-encroachment for grabbing the government lands.” He demanded of the Sindh High Court to set up a judicial commission to probe the grabbing of government lands. “The commission should start the probe from him,” Shiekh offered.