Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has suggested that high-power judicial commission should be constituted to investigate the video leaked by PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz. "This is a very serious issue and must be taken seriously; otherwise, it will cause an irreparable loss to the body politic of the country," he said, talking to the media just after offering condolences to the family members over death of senior politician and leader of fishermen, Haji Shafi Jamote at Ibrahim Hyderi, here. Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani and CM Advisor on Information Murtaza Wahab accompanied him.
The Chief Minister also spoke on other issues. He said that the federal government's decision to handover Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Institute (JPMC), National Institute of cardio Vascular Diseases (NICVD) and National Institute of Child Health (NICH) to provincial government was testament of his (CM's) narrative. "I have been saying since long that the provincial government is capable to run these three hospitals," he said, adding that they had invested tremendously in these hospitals and have made them the best health facilities in the country.
Shah said that the federal government could run have them and the claims made by some overambitious 'responsible people' were busy in formation of board of directors of JPMC but now all that proved empty talk. He said that the NICVD branches were also providing best services in various districts and now 'we are planning to establish the satellites of NICH in different districts of the province.'
Answering a question, the chief minister said that the purpose of convening conference on water projects of Karachi was to seek support of all stakeholders. But, he said he was surprised to see that soon after the meeting, a few friends told the media contrary to their arguments in the meeting.
Murad further said that it was agreed in the meeting that there would be no politics on the genuine issues of Karachi and we all would be working together on those issues. However, he also pointed that the water projects such as K-IV could not be completed without the federal government's support. "We have to approve additional water and funds for Karachi from the federal government. And for that, we all have to work together to serve to the people," he said. To a question, Shah admitted delay in Orange Line project but also added that it was a small project of over five kilometres and would be completed very soon and to begin working along with Green Line.
"Both Green Line and Orange Line are interlinked; therefore, with the start of Green Line project, Orange line will be lunched," he said, adding that the federal government was not serious in completing the Green Line project. He noted the Centre had allocated around 20 to 25 percent of the total required funds that shows they don't want to complete it during the current financial year.
On the Red Line project, the chief minister said Asian Development Bank had approved loan for it. The Sindh government has signed loan agreement with World Bank for Yellow Line and now the project was awaiting final approval from ECNEC. "God willing, we will start work on Red Line and Yellow Line and their work will be completed within 18 months. To another question, he said he did not know the State Bank's governor but the bosses who brought him were opposed to the Amnesty Scheme.
"This was a decision of the federal government and what they have achieved out of it, should be asked," he said. Murad said he was concerned only about the revenue recovery targets set by the federal government. "I am sure they won't be able to achieve them [targets] and at the end of the day the provinces will suffer again," he said.