DADU: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that his government has succeeded in controlling terrorism to a great extent. Referring to a remarkable improvement in Karachi law and order, he said acts of terrorism, targeted killing and other heinous crime ravaged the city for 30 years but they had almost been curbed by the government.

Speaking at a public meeting in Khanpur Junejo town of Dadu district on Wednesday, the chief minister termed terrorism the biggest challenge being faced by the country. “Right from Karachi to Jacobabad, the menace had spread across Sindh but the provincial government took effective measures and succeeded in controlling it to a great extent,” he said, and held out the assurance that it [terrorism] would be eliminated very soon.

Mr Shah criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for registering fresh cases against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and recalled that similar false cases had been registered against him by it (PML-N) in the past as well.

“We support the PML-N in pursuance of the PPP chief’s policy and in the greater interest of democracy and the country,” Mr Shah said.

Speaking about various other issues, the chief minister said that murders, kidnapping for ransom and other crimes in Sindh had registered a decline due to effective police operations against dacoits. Most of the criminals had either been killed or arrested, he added.

Regarding the energy crisis, Mr Shah said that the Thar coal project would be completed soon to overcome it. Once the coal-powered projects were put in operation, electricity tariff would drastically come down and loadshedding would come to an end, he said.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2016