KARACHI: Senior Sindh Minister for Food and Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Khuhro, who is also president of the provincial chapter of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed on Saturday that the Sindh government had spent Rs28 billion for the development of Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts during its 10-year rule over Sindh.

He was speaking at a press conference at the party’s media cell along with former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Minister for Industries Manzoor Hussain Wassan.

“We allocated a total of Rs41bn for the development of the two districts during our two tenures; out of the allocations, Rs35bn was released and Rs28bn was spent,” he said.

He explained that the funds were utilised for the construction of inter-city roads and Khairpur-Larkana bridge as well as the establishment of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University.

Rebutting a recent statement of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) chief Pir Pagara, who had questioned development in Larkana — PPP’s political capital — Mr Khuhro said the PML-F leader’s statement was based on statistics “forged by his aides within the party”.

“His party leads the so-called Grand Democratic Alliance, which will soon realise its worth when the PPP will win with even better results and greater support from the voters in Sindh,” said Mr Khuhro.

He said Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar used to change parties, which would not affect the PPP while Mr Mahar’s recent meeting with PPP’s Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman had not changed the latter’s loyalty with the party.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2018