HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has strongly dispelled the impression that there is any move within his party to get him replaced as chief executive of the province.

He was responding to journalists’ queries at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former Sindh minister, Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi in Gulistan-i-Sajjad on Monday evening.

The chief minister has arrived here to chair a meeting of party’s office bearers and workers regarding arrangements for those who would depart for Lahore where PPP’s founding day convention would be held on November 30.

“Everything is in the hand of God Almighty and party chairman and co-chairman can take any decision,” he said when asked whether some conspiracy is being hatched to get him replaced.

“The in-house change is an option also under which a no confidence motion can be tabled. But I think there is no such thing happening in the cabinet or among party office bearers,” the CM said. He, however, added that difference of opinion was a democratic value.

“There are differences even among brothers.”

Syed Murad Shah, who has previously briefly served as irrigation and revenue ministers, has been tipped among party circles to be the next chief minister as a replacement for the elderly Shah.

Qaim Ali Shah was all praise on the occasion for those who are participating in Karachi operation and said that remarkable progress is seen in terms of improvement in overall law and order situation there. He praised police and Rangers personnel for their services.

Chief Minister Shah claimed that there was a 65 per cent drop in targeted killing cases in Karachi.

“Ashura remained peaceful in Karachi and not a single untoward or unpleasant incident was reported in Karachi although 700 to 800 gatherings of mourning were held there.”

He said that only one case of kidnapping was pending in Khairpur, CM’s district where six such cases were reported previously.

Lauding his own provincial government, he said that it is due to measures taken by Sindh government that investors were taking keen interest in investment in the province. He referred to Thar Coal project where he said that four new blocks are being created for which 10 international companies have shown their interest.

Shah said that each block of Thar coal involves an investment of up to $2.5 billion which was more than the annual budget of his government. He added that this was the result of steps taken by government to built confidence of investors. Besides, he said, Japan is considering investing $80 million dollars in Karachi. Sindh government has provided 2,000 acres of land as economic corridor for this purpose in Karachi.

He said that Sindh has been benefitted by Rs20 billion as a result of multiple NFC criteria. Sindh used to get Rs4 to Rs5 billion towards tax on services, but after new NFC formula Sindh collected Rs25 billion in 2011-12, Rs39 billion in 2013-14 and this year’s target is Rs45 billion, he added.

CM Shah said that Sindh did not receive Rs92 billion from federal government in its share and he has apprised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has promised to resolve the issue.