KARACHI: Ministers from various departments of the Sindh government on Thursday said that the people of Sindh were being discriminated against by not being provided with gas, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) had made tall claims of upholding justice but instead committed a violation of Article 158 of the Constitution after coming to power.
This was said in a joint press conference held by Advisor to Cheif Minister (CM) on Information, Law and Anti-Corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Provincial Minister for Energy Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, Transport and Mass Transit Minister Owais Shah and former minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) questioned how the people of Sindh were being deprived of water and gas facilities if the sitting government claims to replicate the welfare state of Madina, concluding that the PTI regime was either incompetent or willingly deviating from the Constitution.
“The suspension of gas from the last three days is a sheer violation of Article 158 of the Constitution. Sindh contributes to 70 per cent of the country’s gas production and as per the Constitution, the province has the first right on its resources. In summer, the province suffers from electricity load shedding and its people are deprived of gas,” said Murtaza Wahab.
Urging the prime minister (PM) to refrain from forcing the people of Sindh to take to the streets for their demands, the Sindh leaders said that the government of Sindh had taken up the matter with the federal government and was in constant touch with the stakeholders and people to express solidarity with them.
Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh said that Sindh’s stance has been conveyed to the federal government and a protest would be recorded on every forum similarly.
He said that despite the federal government’s promises, gas supply has been reduced in the province on which the PM should take immediate notice and issue directives for its restoration. He also added that Sindh has no representation in the oil and gas regulatory authority, neither has it been taken into confidence on any power agreements.
Transport Minister Owais Qadir Shah that the flow of public transport has badly been affected in Karachi due to which one hundred thousand people were unable to attend their duties all because of the closure of CNG stations.
“Every action of the PTI after coming into power has proved that the Constitution bears no value for them,” concluded Barrister Murtaza while adding that the PPP believes in respecting the Constitution and every article mentioned in it is important to PPP as the people of Pakistan cannot be served until the implementation of every article is ensured.
