Sindh Cabinet flays resolution

Sindh Cabinet on Monday condemned the resolution on Balochistan tabled in House of Representative by a US congressman, saying that no country would be allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of the country.
Addressing a press conference here after the meeting of Sindh Cabinet, provincial Information and Power Minister Shazia Marri said that the Cabinet strongly condemned the resolution, saying that the PPP-led Federal government was trying to give rights to Baloch people.
"Aghaz-e-Huqooq Balochistan package was the result of our efforts," she added. She said that political situation of the country and the ongoing propaganda against President Asif Ali Zardari and the government came under discussion during the meeting. She added that the cabinet had thoroughly reviewed the reasons and losses of super floods of 2010, and heavy rains of 2011, and formed a committee to monitor the situation during upcoming monsoon. The committee will be comprised Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Minister for Food Mir Nadir Magsi and Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, which will also work for restoration of the old drainage system in the province.
Marri said that officials of concerned departments briefed the cabinet about the losses caused by last year's heavy rains. She said that the cabinet was told that 500 people were killed and 6.74859 acres of land were affected, besides standing crops over 2.184951 million acres were washed away during the heavy rains.
She further said that the heavy rains had directly affected 8.9 million people. She said that Sindh government had made short term and long-term plans in order to meet the challenge of climate change. The minister said that the cabinet paid tribute to President Asif Ali Zardari for his services during the floods and heavy rains.
Cabinet members also appreciated the efforts of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in this regard as well, she added. Marri said that the meeting discussed the request of Chief Minister Balochistan to Chief Minister Sindh for allotting new building for Balochistan House in Karachi.
She explained that the old building of Balochistan House in Karachi had only five rooms so that government functionaries and dignitaries face problems during their visits to Sindh. In this regard, she added, the cabinet constituted a committee comprising Minister for Local Government and Minister for Revenue which would decide whether the building (earlier constructed for Balochistan House but sold to Sindh government) would be given back to Balochistan or a piece of land would allotted for construction of a new building.
She made it clear that Balochistan government had constructed a building for Balochistan House in Shereen Jinnah Colony but it was sold to Sindh government at Rs 35 million, as they were facing parking problems due to tankers' stand in the area.
She said that the cabinet deferred a bill of Excise and Taxation department regarding tax collection from hotels and it would be discussed in a separate meeting. Shazia Marri said that the cabinet had approved restoration of exemption from arms licenses' fees for the people of armed forces. The cabinet also approved a bill of Women's Development department regarding the honour killing and domestic violence which would be tabled in Sindh assembly very soon, she added. Earlier, the cabinet meeting was held at committee room of new Sindh Secretariat with Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah in the chair. The meeting was attended by almost all minister and advisors with minister's status.