Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday evening paid a surprise visit of the District South, Old areas of the city like Pakistan Chowk, Timber Market, Ghasmandi, Ranchhor Lane, Garden, Golimar and Rizvia Chowrangi. At Ranchhor Lane, the chief minister came out of his vehicle and met with people to listen their problems.
The people of the area gathered around him and told him their problems of cleanliness, water shortage and encroachment but they thanked chief minister Syed Qaim for restoring law and order in the city. He said that PPP is serving people of the country in general and Sindh in particular from the last four decades. "But our opponents and critics are levelling baseless allegation of corruption just to discredit our performance and sacrifices."
This, he said, while talking to media persons at Golimar Chowrangi during his visit to District South and old city areas. He was accompanied by Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah, Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Siddiqui, Administrator KMC Sajjid Abbasi, MD Water Board Misbahuddin, Rashid Rabbani and others. Replying to a question, the chief minister said that corruption is not only in Sindh or Pakistan but it is all over the world. "The drum beating of corruption is aimed at defaming and discrediting the elected governments. But our people are well aware and better judges. Had we not served them they would have not voted PPP to power again and again," he said.
"We are going to establish an Ehtesab Commission of Sindh and it would be made so strong and effective that it would not spare any corrupt element. It is my commitment with the people of Sindh", he reiterated. Replying to another question, he said that the private schools have been told categorically to reduce the enhanced fees, otherwise action would be taken accordingly. "I have respect for educational institutions and their teaching staff. I can not deny their role in spreading quality education and improving literacy ratio. But, I have a little complaint against them that they are turning this prophetic profession into a profit-making businessmen," he deplored.
The chief minister expressed displeasure on the issues of cleanliness and directed the DMC South to remove the heaps of garbage from the area, otherwise strict action would be taken. "I would be visiting different areas of the city and personally monitor the performance of the officers," he disclosed.
He also directed IG police to improve traffic management in the old areas. "This problem would be solved if encroachment is removed," he said and directed the minister local government to evolve close coordination between traffic police and local bodies. The chief minister inspected the development works such as construction of sewerage system at Golimar and ongoing work on Golimar flyover/underpass where the consultant of the project Nadeem Ansari briefed him about the project. The chief minister directed them to complete the project as soon as possible in the larger interest of the people of Karachi.