Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday termed raids being carried out by the federal agencies in Sindh "attacks on the province". He said that "Pakistan is a state, not a jungle." According to him, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has no right to interfere in provincial matters. Talking to media after inaugurating Mehran Underpass on Faisal Avenue, Shah said he had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif why 'attacks' on Sindh were being carried out.
"Does corruption exist only in Sindh? I wasn't informed about Dr Asim's arrest beforehand although Rangers are supposed to be working under me," said the CM. He said that Dr Asim's designation is equivalent to a minister as he is the Chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Sindh. "I have talked to Corps Commander Karachi and DG Rangers over Dr Asim's arrest. DG Rangers said he had proof against Dr Asim," he said.
The Chief Minister wondered if any law existed in Pakistan "or we are just living under the rules of jungle." "Revenue and land department documents were searched in Civic Center. FIA and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) raided Civic Center. FIA has no right to interfere in provincial matters," he added.
INP adds: The CM Sindh said that just after the arrest of Dr Asim, he spoke to the Corps Commander and DG Rangers, adding that they told him that there were some serious complaints against him. "But when they sent me the details of the complaints against Dr Asim I found them to be of general nature lacking any solid substance," he recalled.
Shah also said that DG Rangers made a telephonic contact with him and briefed him about the complaints against Dr Asim. "I told him that I should have been informed about the complaints but this was not done," he said and added the DG Rangers had assured him that he would be taken into confidence before taking such actions in future and that this issue would also be settled.
The chief minister said that it there were some complaints against Dr Asim those were required to be investigated and substantiated before his arrest. "The procedure has not been followed in this case. "This is not fair and it has invited the wrath of my party," he said. He further said, "My party is not content with the action taken against Dr Asim. They hold me responsible because they (PPP) have elevated me to the position of CM," he said and added "being an elected chief minister and head of provincial apex committee I must be consulted," he said loudly.
Talking about his protest with the federal government on what he termed `invasion by FIA and NAB on Sindh' the Sindh Chief Minister recalled that he had taken up this issue with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ahmed and then with Prime Minister twice. "The Prime Minister told him that he was not aware of their action and had assured me to redress our grievances but even then raid on Civic Centre are going on," he deplored.
Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah also said "I have been informed that the FIA would stop their "invasions" within two days and we are also working to stop NAB from carrying their excesses," he declared. Earlier, the Sindh Chief Minister inaugurated Begum Nusrat Bhutto underpass, constricting Saddar to Cant Station. The underpass has been constructed at a cost of Rs 588.4 million within record 130 days. The Sindh government has funded the project which has been executed by KMC. Commissioner and Administrator Karachi Shoaib Siddiqui briefed the chief minister about the salient features of the project. He thanked the commander Karachi for his support. Minister Local Bodies Nasir Shah also lauded the efforts and hard work of KMC in completion of the underpass.
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