KARACHI, Dec 11: Prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, on his first visit to Karachi on Wednesday, denied that the government was undertaking a punitive operation against a political party in the city to woo another political party for the formation of much-delayed government in Sindh.

Speaking to newsmen at the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation headquarters on Wednesday after a detailed presentation by the KESC managing director, he further denied that the government had released some members of parliament in Balochistan after withdrawing cases against them. He made clear that the lawmakers had been released on parole after completing legal obligations.

When newsmen put problematic questions to Prime Minister Jamali, he threw up his hands in despair, and said: “It is my 19th day in government and I am trying to solve the problems that dogged this country for years.”

Answering a question, the prime minister said that kutcha abadis had cropped up all over the city largely due to the bad planning of previous governments. “These kutcha abadis have all manner of civic problems. They face a shortage of water and sewage flows over the streets in these areas. Besides, these kutcha abadis owe their existence to Qazba groups and mafias.”

The premier, however, said the problems of the province would be solved by the to-be-formed Sindh government. When asked who would be the chief minister of the province, he said there was a plethora of candidates, adding that agreement would soon emerge on one candidate.

Giving a very potted account of his meetings with the chairman of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Prime Minister Jamali noted that the PPP had a majority in the province and if it could form government it should go ahead and do it.