KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the country for which Allama Iqbal had dreamed of, father of nation founded, Quaid-e-Millat developed its framework, Quaid-e-Awam strengthened it and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed made it prosperous has been overlapped by `Naya Pakistan’ in which instead people are refused employment and those who employed are being laid off.
He stated this on Wednesday while talking to media just after paying respect to the Quaid-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan by laying floral wreath on his mazar on the occasion of his 68thdeath anniversary. He was accompanied by provincial ministers, Imtiaz Shaikh, Murtaza Baloch and Murtaza Wahab.
To a question, the chief minister said that this was not a Pakistan which was dreamed of by Allama Iqbal and founded by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, constitutionally strengthened by Shaheed Bhutto and further flourished by Benazir Bhutto. “Now, that Pakistan is nowhere but Pakistan, the PTI has established is that where people are being laid of, square meals are being snatched from poor people by unleashing a tsunami of price hike and those who served this country have been put in jails – this is Naya Pakistan,” he said.
Replying to a question, the chief minister said that some people have spread a rumour that the Sindh government was changing the name of Karachi. “Why we will change the name [of Karachi], this our city and it is known all over the world and this city is dear to all of us,” he said and added it was a baseless news and he urged the media to find out the person or group who have spread the rumour of changing the name of Karachi.
Talking about garbage lifting work, the chief minister said that 300,000 tons have been lifted so far and remaining would also be lifted by the deadline of Oct 21, set by him. “This city has great potential but we all have to strengthen hands of each other in its beautification, in developing peace and tranquillity into, in making it a seat of educational and cultural activities and top of it we have to make it neat and clean – this is what is required,” he said.
Murad Shah said that in order to make the cleanliness work sustainable, he has taken all the DMCs leadership on board. “We are giving them funds for the repair of their machinery used for cleaning work so that they [DMCs] can continue their first end collection and sweeping work,” he said. He added that cleanliness work of the city was above the politics.
Talking about the K-IV project, the chief minister said that the Sindh Governor might not have the knowledge of the efforts being made by him to complete it by making necessary changes in its design. “K-IV is a most important project for this city and it had some design faults on which we are working to remove them,” he said and added the report the NESPAK has submitted was discussed in the meeting with Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar. “This is a wrong impression that the provincial government has shelved K-IV,” he clarified.
Murad Shah said that apart from removing design defects in the K-IV project, he was working to improve the existing system under which around 200 MGD water would be made available for the city by the mid of next year.
To a question, the chief minister said that the sewerage system of the city was being improved and dilapidated roads would be reconstructed or repaired. “This is a megacity and its repair and maintenance work must continue round the year,” he said and this was the planning he was making.
