HYDERABAD: As if already in a poll campaign mode, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday unveiled a number of development projects for Hyderabad in Sindh — which he has visited a couple of times in recent weeks — though the Pakistan Peoples Party remained unimpressed by his new-found munificence for the province and termed it an ‘electioneering stunt’.

Addressing the PML-N’s workers convention in Hyderabad, PM Sharif said that a university would be established in the city and allocated Rs1 billion for the project. The premier said he would soon inaugurate work of the university.

Amid applause, he also announced a metro bus service and an international airport for the city.

Mr Sharif said that soon teams would conduct a survey in Hyderabad to launch health issuance cards which would be distributed by him and daughter Maryam Nawaz.

The prime minister ordered Rs500 million to be released for the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

“Pakistan’s internal map is fast changing. Look at Gwadar which is being linked with a road network. Soon Pakistan will be counted among developed countries,” said a visibly delighted Sharif.

The PM said he would ensure supply of electricity and gas to those villages in Sindh where these facilities were still not available. He said the Pakistan Agriculture Storages and Supplies Corporation had been directed to procure more than 100,000 tonnes of wheat from Sindh to benefit growers.

He said a new Pakistan was emerging, adding his government had broken the back of terrorists and peace had returned to Karachi. “Balochistan was badly hit by terrorism but today it is completely peaceful and moving on the path of development.”

Mr Sharif said the day was not far when Pakistan would get rid of poverty and unemployment and every one would have access to education and health facilities.

He said that heaps of garbage could be seen in Karachi. “It is not the Karachi where I stayed for studies for a few months,” he said, apparently recalling his stay in the provincial capital of Sindh during his student life. “Then it used to be a peaceful city and people from the Middle East visited it. Now, entrepreneurs and businessmen are visiting Karachi again for business purposes.”

Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq fired the broadside against the PPP leadership, saying the PML-N was indeed ‘knocking’ at (the door of) Sindh.

He said that Pakistan was changing but unfortunately lives of people of Sindh remain deplorable.

“We gave you (the PPP) an opportunity and time to perform because when you get votes then you are bound to serve people. But unfortunately there is a party which wants to win election on the basis of a slogan and in the garb of ‘mazloomiat’. But this will not happen again because when lions are out of their habitat, jackals run away,” Mr Rafiq said.

“We have landed in Sindh and the PML-N will provide alternative leadership to the province,” he said.

PM meets delegations Earlier, delegations of people from different walks of life met the prime minister at the residence of PML-N Senator Dr Rahila Magsi. The delegations included those of parliamentarians, farmers, traders, industrialists and journalists.

Dr Rahila Magsi hosted a lunch for the premier which was attended by Senator Abdul Qayyum, Mumtaz Bhutto, Shafi Jamote, Ghaus Bux Mahar of the PML-F, National Party leader Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Zafar Ali Shah, Syed Shafqat Shah Shirazi and others.

However, Ismail Rahu, president of the PML-N’s Sindh chapter and a member of the Sindh Assembly, was conspicuous by his absence during the prime minister’s visit to Hyderabad.

Mr Rahu neither attended the lunch nor the PML-N workers’ convention amid reports that he is “considering other political options,” which include joining the PPP.

But Mr Rahu denied that he is joining the PPP. Talking to Dawn on phone, he said that he couldn’t attend the workers’ convention and the lunch because he was attending to an ailing family member.

“No, there is nothing of the sort,” he said when asked whether he was holding talks with the PPP to join it.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2017