HYDERABAD: Former Sindh health minister and Muttahida Qaumi Movement coordination committee leader Dr Saghir Ahmed on Sunday strongly refuted Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah’s Nov 12 outburst against him and his party.

He said that the CM was confused about the backdrop of the provincial government's handling of the Thar drought.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Dr Saghir said that the CM’s criticism of him made it seem as though everything was fine in the desert and that the health department was the only issue.

Dr Saghir said that when the drought was reported early this year, the CM had blamed someone else, passing the buck wherever he could.

“Not only did I visit Thar as health minister, but even while in opposition my last visit came this May,” the minister told Dawn.com after attending an MQM membership campaign at Kohinoor Chowk in Hyderabad.

MQM’s parliamentarians from Hyderabad and coordination committee member Shakir Ali were also present.

“The CM is confused and is making conflicting statements on Thar,” said Dr Saghir.

Read also: Qaim dismisses child deaths from Thar famine

“On the assembly floor he defended the health department and said that Mithi district hospital is even better than Karachi’s civil hospital. If this is the case then what is the problem?

"Shah saheb seems to be personalising everything in a blame game to politically capitalise and to ward-off criticism the government has faced since early 2014,” he added.

The MQM leader said that Tharparkar’s issue is not hospital-specific.

He said that the if the CM feels excited in unveiling marbled plaques of different health ministry projects, then he must come forward and own this responsibility too.

Dr Saghir said that there are others who are associated with the health department but the CM tends to conveniently ignore it.

“He innocently ignores that other people are also associated with the health ministry,” Dr Saghir said.

It would be relevant to mention that Qaim Ali Shah’s son-in-law Iqbal Durrani is heading the health ministry as its secretary.

Saghir served as health minister in 2008 PPP-coalition government and then for a brief period until recently when MQM quit over statements of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against MQM leader Altaf Hussain.

In his Nov 12 press briefing after chairing special cabinet meeting in Mithi, CM criticised Dr Saghir Ahmed, saying he never visited Thar.

“He should have visited Thar when he was minister and apprise himself of the situation. He should have heard from doctors here,” CM said and added that: “If today Dr Saghir visits Mithi, people will not even recognise him”.

He maintained that the ministry has been with MQM for the last 20 years.

Earlier, speaking to journalists Dr Saghir said that the blame game would not serve people of Thar.

He said that Qaim Ali Shah should reply whether plaques unveiled by the CM carry his (Dr Saghir’s) name or someone else. He said that those who are rewarded with ‘tamghas’ (medals) are clearly responsible for the present situation.

“Are we (MQM) responsible for poverty? Are we responsible for lawlessness? Are we responsible for mixing stones in wheat and for 22 people in captivity of dacoits in different areas or are we responsible for dacoits’ protests in Ghotki against extortion demands by the police?,” said Dr Saghir .

Read also: Dacoits in Ghotki accuse police of extorting money

He rhetorically added that “now the MQM will also be blamed for even the Khairpur road accident”.

Internal change

Meanwhile, Dr Saghir said in response to a question that the need of a no confidence motion against the CM, as hinted by MQM leader Babar Ghauri, might not arise.

He said some internal change may take place, the indicators are of which are being seen in the media.

He said that every democratic and legal way is available for change in the house.