Protesting over Centre's cold response, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has asked federal government to immediately release financial aid of Rs 1 billion for Karachi where torrential rains have played havoc.
To register their strong protest, only one federal minister-Babar Khan Ghauri-will attend the cabinet's meeting being held here on Wednesday with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the chair.
Talking to Business Recorder, Sindh Communications Minister Shamim Siddiqui said ministers belonging to MQM held a detailed meeting in Karachi on Tuesday to discuss the worsening situation due to torrential rains. "We discussed the present situation in Karachi and regretted the federal government's cold response," Siddiqui said in reply to a question.
A pro-monsoon thunderstorm knocked down houses, severed electrical cables and killed more than 250 people in country's biggest business city. To a question, he said the Sindh government had appealed for Centre's help to meet the natural calamity but it only released Rs 200 million.
"We had appealed for help but they (federal government) only pledged Rs 200 million. We immediately need Rs 1 billion," he demanded. Speaking about the grim electricity situation, Shamim Siddiqui told this correspondent that Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) has miserably failed to restore electricity in most parts of the city.
"There is no electricity... KESC is not paying any attention. Half of the city is in dark," he added. Siddiqui said the federal government should at least pay the electricity bills for the month of June to provide some relief to people of Karachi. When asked, Shamim Siddiqui said that Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri held a meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday night to convey their concerns.