KARACHI: Aseefa, younger sister of ruling PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, on Sunday visited the birthplace of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Kharadar after meeting people in Lyari and was displeased when she witnessed historical Wazir Mansion surrounded by heaps of garbage.

She later discussed progress on polio eradication and issues related to public health in the city with the Sindh chief minister at Chief Minister House, officials said.

Ms Bhutto-Zardari started her ‘surprise visit’ and reached Nawabad on the edge of Lyari. People busy in shopping for iftar huddled up when they saw her among them and the vicinity was echoed with the party slogans, witnesses said.

She asked the residents about problems they were facing and was flooded with unending complaints and issues the party’s traditional stronghold was facing.

The people were especially annoyed with increasing piles of garbage that Aseefa also noticed everywhere in the area. Besides, people informed her about water shortages and sanitation problems.

She was accompanied by local government minister Jam Khan Shoro, and deputy speaker of Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza.

Aseefa expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the authorities concerned in providing relief to the residents of Lyari and did not hide the annoyance that people’s unending complaints brought on her face.

“As a private citizen, it was great to visit #Liyari and hear people’s concerns first hand,” she later tweeted. “Took notice of improper garbage disposal. Working with stakeholders on sustainable solutions.

“Interacted with locals during my visit. Humbled by their jeay bhutto chants.”

She also visited the Chakiwara, Ath Chowk and Baghdadi areas.

She also visited the Wazir Mansion and was visibly unhappy when she noticed the iconic building with so much historical importance literally circled by stinking garbage.

Officials said she asked the minister to make sure the building’s environs remained clean in future.

Polio eradication

Later, she attended a meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at CM House, where the latter claimed his government was working hard to eradicate polio but due to different reasons the results had not been achieved so far.

“It is quite alarming and painful for me that in northern parts of Sindh polio cases have been detected for which emergent measures must be taken to control the situation,” said Mr Shah.

The meeting participants were told that four polio cases had been detected in 2016, of them two in Shikarpur, one in Jacobabad and one in Gadap. It was observed that most districts of Sindh were on the track, however, pockets of the virus were circulating in northern districts, especially in Larkana division.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2016