SUKKUR, July 14: Negotiations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have not come to a close yet and if the party decides to become a part of the provincial government then subsequent changes can be made in the ministries, says Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday.

He said the door of dialogue was open like it had remained open earlier. He said that ministries could be changed if the MQM still changed its decision about becoming part of the government.

Talking to journalists after visiting the Sukkur Barrage to review monsoon arrangements, the chief minister said the country was in the grip of lawlessness from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to Karachi. The port city was not the only place in the country which was facing terrorism.

However, he added, that every possible step was being taken by the provincial government to maintain peace in Karachi and the rest of the province.

The chief minister said the PPP was a party of the people and had never supported any terrorist or criminal group and allegations being levelled at the party were not based on facts. If there was any such group working in any area of Karachi, including Lyari, he said, it was not supported by the government.

He said that if any report in this regard had been submitted to the prime minister, he had not come across it yet. The chief minister said the stance of the government was clear that across-the-board action would be taken against any terrorist group. “Nobody is our friend or foe,” he said.

Talking about preventive measures for upcoming monsoon, the chief minister said that river and canal bunds had already been strengthened and irrigation officials were on alert.

He said that he had been briefed about the structure of Sukkur Barrage and the critical situation expected during monsoon. He said the mighty barrage had done its time and foreign experts were being consulted for strengthening its base, adding that repair work would also increase its capacity.

He said that currently volume of water greater than 1.3 million cusecs that could damage the structure of Sukkur Barrage while directing irrigation officers to closely monitor river dykes and protective bunds.

KHAIRPUR: Early Sunday morning, the chief minister heard complaints of various citizens’ delegations at the Circuit House.

Complaints were also received regarding inefficiency of the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC). People said that several localities in Sukkur were not being cleaned after which the chief minister said the corporation had been given the responsibility of water and sanitation for seven districts and complaints had been received from all of them.

Speaking to complainants, the chief minister said that new development projects and schemes were being started in the province and ongoing ones would soon be completed.

He said that a new cancer hospital would be established along the National Highway and district headquarters hospitals would be established in other districts.