KARACHI: As the meteorological department warned about ‘urban flooding’ in Karachi and Hyderabad in the wake of its forecast of heavy rains, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari directed the Sindh government on Monday to take all-out measures across the province to cope with the rain emergency situation.

Taking note of the forecast of heavy rains during this monsoon in the country, especially in Sindh, Mr Bhutto-Zardari held a meeting with Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, his ministers and bureaucrats concerned at the Bilawal House.

The chief minister and his team briefed him about pre-monsoon arrangements and their preparedness to deal with any eventuality.

About Karachi situation, Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro and Commissioner Aijaz Ahmed Khan briefed the PPP chief on measures put into place in the metropolis during the monsoons.

The PPP chief was informed that work to remove encroachments from storm drains and their desilting was being conducted.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari asked the members of the national and provincial assemblies in areas concerned to monitor the situation and vulnerable spots in their respective constituencies.

He said that staff entrusted with duties should be visible everywhere and no delinquency should be tolerated at any level.

About other parts of the province, the PPP chief asked the provincial government to put all its official machinery into full gear to cope with the situation in case of flash floods besides manning the vulnerable points at river embankments more vigilantly.

He was told that vulnerable spots on river bunds had been repaired and necessary material and machinery transported to required places to deal with any emergency.

Besides CM, Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, secretaries of the irrigation, finance, LG departments, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation administrator, Sindh relief commissioner and others also attended the meeting.

Briefing on law and order

The PPP chief also got a briefing on law and order situation.

He urged the Sindh government to utilise latest technology tools for providing easy access to the common man for sending information and complaints to make provincial capital a safe city.

He further stressed that all government machinery should work closely to foil the attempts of criminals and anti-state elements to destroy peace.

He further observed that utilisation of latest technology gadgets and communication tools were necessary to improve policing and make the city safer for both its residents and visitors.

Common man should be enabled to approach police and other law enforcement agencies without any hindrances. An open-door policy up to the level of SPs and DIGs may be adopted, he added.

He further said that the home minister and the inspector general of police, Sindh should hold fortnightly media briefings on law and order to apprise the general public about steps and efforts being taken by the provincial government to provide a peaceful environment to the citizens.

Earlier, the home minister and the IGP briefed the PPP chairman about the prevailing law and order situation. Barring the kidnapping of a son of Sindh High Court chief justice and killing of qawwal Amjad Sabri, the situation was relatively peaceful, they claimed.

The ratio of heinous crimes, including kidnapping for ransom, had dropped to zero in both rural and urban areas of Sindh, they stated.

They pointed out that the Sindh police had detected the Safoora carnage, Shikarpur and Jacobabad blast cases and arrested the culprits involved.

“Investigations are going on into the Awais Shah kidnapping and Amjad Sabri killing in coordination and collaboration with other law-enforcing and intelligence agencies,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari was told.

He praised the role of the Sindh police and other law enforcement agencies.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal, Jameel Soomro, the political secretary to the PPP chairman, chief secretary, home secretary were also present.

SHC CJ assured of son’s early recovery

The PPP chairman on Monday met Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah in his chamber and assured him that all-out efforts were being made by the provincial government and law enforcement agencies for an early recovery of his kidnapped son, Barrister Awais Ali Shah.

The PPP chief, who was accompanied by Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who was abducted and remained in the custody of the Taliban for three years, informed the CJ that every step was being taken in a coordinated manner for the early and safe recovery.

He said he himself was personally concerned and monitoring the efforts.

He said the entire government and people of the country were in solidarity with his family.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016