Rehabilitation of flood-affected people, construction of 2.1m houses top priority: CM

HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the people of Sindh awarded a great success to the Pakistan People’s Party in the 2024 general elections and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed us to meet the workers and thank the people. He said that rehabilitation of flood victims and construction of 2.1 million houses is the priority of Chairman Bilawal.

He was talking to media persons at Press Club Hyderabad during his visit to Hyderabad today. On this occasion, Sindh People’s Party President Nisar Khuhro General Secretary Waqar Mehdi, provincial ministers, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Nasir Shah, Jam Khan were present with Chief Minister.

Chief Minister said that this is his second visit to the Press Club as Chief Minister of Sindh. He said that land for the housing society of journalists has been allocated and clear instructions were given to Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani for the development of the land.

The CM further said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had given a clear agenda in the election manifesto which is being implemented under the direction of Chairman and work on 6 lacs houses is underway. He said that the flood of 2022 was very destructive and in the flood of 2010 there were breaches at two places of the river which we had improved. He said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has given instructions to provide clean drinking water to every home in upcoming five years. He further informed that instead of 121mgd of water in Hyderabad, 61mgd of water is being provided on daily basis but we will solve the water problem soon.

CM said that the health sector of Sindh government has done a great job, we have improved PMC, NICVD, SIUT, Gambat Hospital and other health centers and we are trying to ensure that no patient will shift to Hyderabad or Karachi NICVD but this facility will be provided to them in their native area.

Regarding education, he said that 60,000 teachers have been recruited and their training is in the final stage. The CM said that the Department of Agriculture is working on Kisan Card, while the Labor Card is being issued; they are going to improve it.

He said currently, the mayors of Karachi and Hyderabad belong to the People’s Party and the PPP won one of the 3 National Assembly seats in Hyderabad and now we will get all three seats in the upcoming elections.

In response to a question, he said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had promised to give 300 units of free electricity and they are working to give free electricity of 300 to the consumers and the work of laying railway line to bring coal from Thar will start soon. He said that the people of Sindh have a habit of helping others first and themselves later.

In a reply to a question, Sindh CM said that Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had provided land to steel mills and the Sindh government will also provide financial support for laying the railway line. We are establishing an export processing zone in the province.

In response to another question, he said that the Sindh government is conducting a full operation against the drug mafia, and we have to siege the borders where from these drugs are coming and we have to protect our children from drugs; this responsibility is also on the parents.

In response to a question regarding the change of Governor he said that this authority rests with the Prime Minister; I have no role or authority in this and we want to work with every opposition party including MQM.

On a question on the law and order situation, he said that in 2007 police and army convoys used to go and in 2008 Pakistan People’s Party government came. We restored law and order and the last months of our previous government dacoits started creating problems in Katcha area, we are determined arrest the dacoits, today’s dacoits are so cowardly that they even kidnap children. The CM said that the Sindh government is not helpless, but the helpless are bandits who are hiding in Katcha forest.

In response to a question regarding electricity load shedding and additional bills, he said that the federal minister had complained that peoples do not pay the bills; people should use electricity in a good way because electricity is expensive.

In response to a question regarding the schemes, he said that he had held a meeting with the NHA Chairman in which he discussed all the slow-moving schemes and also mentioned the condition of Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway while for the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway funds from CPEC projects will be utilized, He said that people say the condition of the roads deteriorates as soon as they come to Sindh, but people do not know that the federal government does not pay attention to roads of Sindh.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024