MITHI, July 7: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, speaking at a public meeting here on Wednesday, announced a development package for the Tharparkar district.

The meeting was organized by the Pakistan Muslim League in connection with the by-election for the NA-229 seat, scheduled for Aug 18. The by-election for the seat is being held as the sitting member, Arbab Zakaullah, has resigned to facilitate the election of Shaukat Aziz, who has been named the future prime minister.

The chief minister told the gathering that a dam would be constructed at Nagarparkar and gas and clean drinking water would be provided to different towns. He said a laboratory for producing anti-snakebite medicine and an arid zone research institute would be set up in the district.

Dr Rahim said 500 PCOs would be established in different villages, wireless phone and cellular phone services would be provided in Mithi before Aug 14 and a 1,100-kilometre-long road would be constructed in the district.

He also promised construction of PTDC motels and a sports complex in Mithi. The chief minister announced Rs20 million for the welfare of the minority community. Federal Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said the condition of people of Tharparkar was worse than that prevailing in jails.

He appealed to people to vote for Mr Aziz in the by-election as he would improve the quality of their life. He said the credit went to Mr Aziz for reforming the economy of the country. People had tried landlords and industrialists as prime ministers and they knew what they had done with the country, he maintained.

Mr Ahmad criticized the opposition for accusing the government of working on dictates of the US. "The government listens to the US only when it suits the country's interests", he claimed.

Earlier, soon after filing nomination papers, Mr Aziz, accompanied by Dr Rahim, Mr Ahmad and others, attended a reception hosted by a minority community. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Aziz informed the gathering about steps being taken by the government to improve the quality of life of people.

He assured the minority people that the government considered them equal citizens. Parliamentary secretary MNA Prof Mushtaq Victor demanded that authorities should provide relief to people of Thar who were facing hardships.

MIRPURKHAS: Shaukat Aziz, accompanied by the Sindh chief minister, arrived at the Sindhri Airport near here at 9am on Wednesday by a special plane. Federal ministers Awais Laghari, Yar Mohammad Rind and Ghaus Bux Mahar, Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Sindh Minister Shabbir Ahmad Kaimkhani, Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, former minister Arif Mustafa Jatoi, MNA Ghulam Haider Samejo and others welcomed them.