DADU: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has held out the assurance that the ban on government jobs will be relaxed after Eidul Azha and recruitment will be made strictly on a merit basis. He expressed his confidence that no eligible youth would remain jobless as job opportunities in the public and private sectors would be created under a policy, meant to improve economic, industrial and agricultural growth, being pursued by his government.

The chief minister was speaking at a public gathering held at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sardar Adam Khan Bhand in Meenhoon Khan Bhand village, some seven kilometres from Dadu city on Monday.

Other PPP leaders including Sardar Sikandar Ali Rahpoto, Raees Sikandar Ali Chandio, MNA Imran Zafar Leghari, Rafique Ahmed Jamali, MPA Aziz Junejo, Pir Mujeebul Haq, Mohammed Usman Bhand, Mumtaz Bhand, Dr Aftab Ahmed and district council chairman Sardar Mohammad Asharraf Solangi were present.

The CM acknowledged that there was a shortage of irrigation water in certain parts of the province and growers had been facing hardship in cultivating their lands. He said adequate funds would be released soon to resolve the issue. He said remodeling of Dadu canal and other appropriate measures would be taken to provide relief to the areas hit by a water shortage in Johi and other parts of the district.

Regarding other development works, he said that the work on a Dadu-Jamshoro road aimed at widening it to a double-lane artery would begin soon as the scheme was ready to be executed. He said he would approach the federal government to ensure that the scheme was launched within the current year.

Speaking about the rehabilitation of the Manchhar lake, he said his dream was about to come true as his government had already undertaken the project. The fishermen community of Dadu Jamshoro would get great relief once the lake was rehabilitated, he said, and pledge every possible cooperation and assistance from the government for the project.

Renewing his commitment to serve the people of Sindh employing all available resources, the chief minister said that a remarkable change would be visible within a short period of time.

Members of the general public at the gathering apprised the chief minister of their problems. Mr Shah issued directives to Wapda and the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company to take immediate measures to ensure minimum possible loadshedding and prompt rectification of breakdowns across the district. He warned of stern action against the officials concerned if public complaints were not heeded.

He said the Sindh government would establish power houses across the province to overcome energy crisis and he had already took up the matter with the prime minister to seek necessary permission from him.

Mr Shah asked all officials concerned to take special care of the devotees of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar visiting the shrine.

‘Militancy not acceptable’

In reply to a question posed by journalists, the chief minister said that every political party, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, had the democratic right to work freely but if a party had a militant wing and was bent upon promoting it, then action must be taken against it. He said militancy on the part of any outfit, be it a political one, was not acceptable to the government and state institutions.

He observed that the Pakistan-based MQM leadership was making efforts to cleanse the party of militant and criminal elements which was a welcome step.

The chief minister also announced the upgrading of the Sehwan town committee to a municipal committee.

He said he was fully aware of the issues being faced by the people of Sindh as he had been a minister for eight years and made constant efforts to address them. He said industries and industrial zones would established in different parts of the province, including Sehwan, to help people get jobs.

During his two-day visit to his constituency, the chief minister addressed many such public gatherings held in Bhan Syedabad, Khudabad, Pipri, Naban Khan Loond village and other places.

Published in Dawn September 13th, 2016