The Sindh government cannot send the Rangers packing as their services are needed to maintain law and order in the province, argued Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday while concluding the general discussion on the budget for 2011-12 in the Sindh Assembly session.
“It would be unjustified to send the Rangers back on the basis of one incident, that of the killing of teenaged Sarfaraz We regret the incident, but we should also regret the killings of those Rangers personnel who sacrificed their lives on duty,” Shah said. He added that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had not brought the Rangers to Sindh; they had been summoned during the martial law imposed by General Zia-ul-Haq.
The CM said that every institution could have rotten eggs, but that did not necessarily mean that the institution in and of itself was rotten. He said that demands are being made of the government to hang the Rangers personnel involved in the young man’s killing, but this was not the government’s job. The case is in the court and only courts can decide the matter, he added. Shah admitted to the fact that the law and order situation in Sindh was not good and that the province has security concerns, but claimed that steps are being taken to improve the situation.
According to him, the overall situation is much better than it was during the last government’s tenure. Regarding incidents of targeted killings in Karachi, the CM said that such incidents have decreased considerably due to the government’s efforts on the administrative and political fronts. “Peace efforts jointly made by the three coalition parties – PPP, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) – have proved successful in minimising targeted killings,” he said, also referring to the meetings of the coalition partners at the Governor House and the formation of peace committees at the district level.
Responding to some members’ demand to apprehend the killers of Benazir Bhutto, the CM said that much progress has been made in the case and culprits involved would be taken to task. He asked members that when the PPP cannot forget the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto even after 35 years, how could it spare the killers of Benazir Bhutto. Shah said that the government has built 3,500 houses for flood-affected people during the current year, and would provide another 10,000 houses during the new financial year. He said that Turkey, Iran and USA were assisting in building houses in flood-affected areas.
He also claimed that not only will the government continue handing employment, but some 5,000 persons would be sent to Malaysia for employment soon. The CM told the house that because of the government’s policies, the province has surplus wheat production this year despite facing heavy damages due to last year’s floods. He said that some 1.7 million tonnes of wheat have been produced this year, which is a record. He said that the government can export 0.7 million tonnes of wheat this year.
Participating in the general discussion, Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that last year’s flood has taught financial management to the government. This was the reason that the government could present a better budget without imposing new taxes. He told the house that there is no overdraft over the Sindh government by the State Bank, while in comparison, Punjab has around over Rs 100 billion overdraft.
Shah did not agree with the MQM’s demand of taxing agriculturists, but argued that the government will not spare big landlords, industrialists and media groups who steal taxes. He said that the government will have to support the agriculture sector to ensure food security and economy of the province. He reiterated his commitment that the province will start collecting sales tax on services from July this year.
