KARACHI: Setting a new and pleasant tradition, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah arrived together at the conclusion of Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s urs on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister had decided at a cabinet meeting that the provincial administration would bear all medical and rehabilitation expenses of two children that had been electrocuted due to faulty wiring.

Responding to media’s questions along with the governor, Mr Shah, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party, said they had come together at the shrine to pray for prosperity of Sindh and its people.

He added that his government had no issues in working with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led federal government as long as it did not neglect the province.

“In case any problem arises, we will try to solve it in the light of the Constitution,” the chief minister said.

Governor, CM attend concluding ceremony of Ghazi’s urs together

Governor Ismail, when asked to comment on the visit, said he was busy in Islamabad, therefore, could not inaugurate the urs.

“I requested the chief minister to perform the concluding ceremony of the urs together, which he most gracefully accepted. He arrived at the Governor House today and then we moved for the shrine together to set a new tradition,” he said.

CM Shah recalled that on the day of his election he had expressed his desire to work with the federal government amicably so that all outstanding issues between the Centre and the province could be resolved.

Regarding the recent inter-provincial transfers made by the federal government, he said, “We were not consulted for transferring the officers to other provinces, therefore, we have taken up this issue with the federal government. I hope it will be resolved peacefully.”

When asked about a large number of vehicles owned by the Chief Minister House, Mr Shah said those vehicles were not used by him.

“I just use one vehicle. The rest of the cars are given to prime minister, chief ministers of other provinces, Senate chairman, speaker of the National Assembly and judges, whenever they visit Sindh,” he said.

Governor Ismail, who belongs to the ruling PTI, said he along with the chief minister would meet Prime Minister Imran Khan to devise a solution to all the problems that existed between the Centre and the province.

Earlier, the two jointly performed the concluding ceremony of the three-day urs by laying chador and floral wreath, and offering fateha.

Govt to bear medical expenses of victim children

Earlier, presiding over a meeting of the Sindh cabinet at the CM House on Monday, CM Shah said the provincial government will bear all expenses of the treatment of two boys Umar, 8, and Haris, 9, who fell victim to K-Electric’s negligence.

He directed Health Secretary Dr Usman Chachar to talk to experts/doctors about their rehabilitation and make them return to normal life.

The meeting also decided to remove all overhead cables, eliminate beggary and enforce the law effectively banning the use of plastic bags.

The decision about conversion of two amenity plots ST-11 Sector 4, Surjani Town, and KGA ground near Numaish Karachi for infrastructure of mass transit project was put off for the next cabinet meeting.

The other decisions included exemption of Sindh sales tax on donations for Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, appointment of Tariq Ahsan as CEO/President of the Sindh Bank Ltd and appointments of Rashid Mustafa Solangi and Ghulam Mustafa A. Memon as judges of Anti-Terrorism Court No XVA, Karachi and Court No II at Central Prison Hyderabad.

The chief minister also constituted a committee under the local government secretary to sort out matters with all stakeholders to lay internet, telephone and TV cables underground.

The cabinet decided to remove beggars from the city and gave the task to traffic police, district administration and social welfare department to jointly work for elimination of the beggar mafia.

Adviser to the CM on Law Murtaza Wahab said environment and climate change were one of the most serious issues being faced by the country, therefore, there was a need for strict enforcement of law banning plastic bags.

Water, power issues

The chief minister, while presiding over another meeting which was convened to resolve drinking and industrial water issues in the city and utilisation of solid waste for power generation, said the solution to Karachi’s water problems lies in desalination plant.

“The city receives 583 MGD from Keenjhar Lake and 100 MGD from Hub Dam, while the shortfall is 550 MGD.”

He pointed out that 16,550 tons of waste was generated in the city daily, out of which only 20 per cent was recycled.

“Therefore, I want to utilise the waste for generation of electricity,” he said.

Hubco told the CM that if all of Karachi’s non-recycled waste was utilised, it could generate around 200MW electricity.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2018