KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Monday declared that the Sindh government would challenge in court the actions being taken by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Sindh, terming them ‘interference in provincial autonomy’ and ‘invasion’.

Mr Shah lodged a strong protest with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a telephone conversation on Monday evening against the move after addressing a programme organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) where he told journalists that the federal government without asking the Sindh government allowed the FIA and NAB to conduct raids on the provincial and local government offices and arrest officers, with the result that day-to-day working of the government had paralysed.

“I will not allow this as I consider it an invasion,” he said.

The executive authority of the federal government or officers of its agencies could not perform Sindh government functions, the chief minister said, explaining that the FIA and NAB had no jurisdiction to conduct raids in Sindh.

Protest lodged with interior minister over ‘interference in provincial autonomy’

Talking to the federal interior minister, the chief minister expressed serious reservations over the action of the FIA and NAB in different parts of Sindh. “Their actions are no less than interference in provincial autonomy,” he reiterated.

He told the federal minister that NAB and FIA had started conducted raids in Shikarpur and other districts of the province even against teachers and clerks. “We have the Anti-Corruption [Establishment] and the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team to inquire into these small offences,” he explained.

Protesting that even the chief minister had not been taken into confidence, Mr Shah said: “We would extend our full support if there is any mega corruption case or irregularity, but even then the FIA and NAB are bound to take me into confidence.” Earlier during the day, the chief minister told journalists at the FPCCI programme that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had fixed Sept 20 to conduct the local bodies election. “Let me make it clear here that we are not going to extend the election date. We are ready and we will hold local government elections on Sept 20,” he said.

Speaking at the FPCCI function, Mr Shah referred to the demands made by the FPCCI and directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to provide sufficient water to the SITE industrial area at the earliest. “Water shortage is an overall issue of the city but we would definitely take necessary measures to facilitate the industrial area,” he said.

Regarding their complaint against the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) for creating hurdles in the construction of a building on the FPPCI plot, where they wanted to establish an Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) office to boost our international trade, the chief minister issued directives to the SBCA to cooperate with FPCCI and resolve their issues without any further delay to enable them to house their important organization.

About an inordinate delay in the completion of the Lyari Expressway second track, the chief minister said he himself was keen to see it completed at the earliest but the federal government was not cooperating with the Sindh government. The federal government did not give due monetary share to Sindh. “Sindh has been given peanuts in the Rs585 billion federal PSDP,” he said. Besides, there was the issue of illegal occupation of government land where multi-storey buildings had been constructed, he said. This was a tragedy that the government was being forced to pay at least Rs6 billion in compensation to those who had illegally occupied government land, Mr Shah said.

About other projects, however, the prime minister was kind enough to assure Sindh of giving a substantial amount for K-4 water project and Green Line Rapid Bus Transport (RBT), the chief minister added.

Replying to the questions asked by FPCCI members, the chief minister said his government was giving special attention to generate electricity from indigenous sources such as coal, wind and solar. “We are very serious and focused to solve energy crisis in Sindh by installing different plants on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode,” he said.

He also announced the formation of a task force to solve environmental issues of industrial areas. The task force would work under industries minister Ghulam Qadir Malkani and FPCCI representative Feroze Gulzar would be its valuable member. “As we have been given GSP-Plus [Generalised System of Preferences] status, we have to come up to its standards,” said Mr Shah.

He said that more than Rs65 billion was being spent on the maintenance of law and order. “We have developed the capacity of police force by giving them special training and necessary equipments,” he said. The government also enhanced the compensation amount from Rs500,000 to Rs2 million, which was given to the families of the policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty, he said.

Besides, he added, cash prizes were also being awarded to policemen, the Rangers and secret agencies for their excellent work.

He appreciated that the FPCCI had agreed to work out a proposal to provide scholarships to the children of the policemen who embraced martyrdom while performing their duties.

Earlier, in his welcome address, FPCCI vice president Abdul Rahim Janu said: “I must appreciate that Syed Qaim Ali Shah, being captain of the operation in Karachi, has restored peace to the city. This is not an ordinary job but it has cast lot of sacrifices of Sindh police and Rangers personnel,” he said and added that he roamed around in Saddar and Tariq Road with his family without fear during the past one week. This was a great work as peace had returned to the city after a long time, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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