KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday telephoned Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and ministers and lauded the measures taken by them during the rain spell.

The PPP chairman during his telephonic conversations sought information regarding relief measures taken after the heavy spell of rainfall from Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and ministers holding portfolios of public health engineering and local government.

Efforts to drain rainwater in parts of the province are undergoing in a speedy manner and all available resources are being utilized for the purpose, they said. The PPP chairman asked the chief minister and the provincial ministers to make an estimation of losses from recent rainfall. Bilawal expressed profound grief over the loss of lives during the rain and urged upon the federal and provincial governments to announce a special package for rain-affected people. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday vowed to take stern steps for the betterment of Karachi.

The chief minister Sindh while presiding over a meeting over the post rainfall situation of Karachi directed the officials to point out the places where the smooth flow of rainwater was difficult. “Bulldoze any structure if it comes in the way of smooth flow of the water,” he ordered.

Murad Ali Shah asked the authorities, why water was not drained out from most parts of Karachi’s southern district. He said the Urban Disaster Response Unit of the KMC did not appear to be working.

He said water is still standing in the various parts of the district. He ordered to step up the efforts to drain out the standing water and clean the area.—