HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s promise to construct five million houses is unrealistic as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will not have enough funds required for the mega project even within next five years.

“Now we’ll see how can PTI chief construct the houses within stipulated period,” as the only ‘tabdeeli’ the country had so far seen was sale of buffaloes and vehicles, he said.

The chief minister was speaking to journalists in Jamshoro and Dadu after offering condolences to party colleagues on Sunday.

He branded PTI as a ‘U-turn party’ and said the party leadership had sold dreams to people but now they were facing failure in translating them into reality. “PTI is now realising the difference between making empty claims and practically managing affairs of the government,” he said.

He said the 18th Amendment was protected by the Constitution and no one could change it. Sindh government had recorded its reaction over water shortage, talked to Indus River System Authority (Irsa) and raised the issue at the Council of Common Interests as well, he said.

Mr Shah said the government would keep raising the issue at all forums and at the same time also devise a strategy to deal with the problem.

About closure of reverse osmosis plants in Thar, the chief minister shifted the blame to caretaker regime for failing to make payments to the plants.

He said the government had written a letter to the apex court’s judicial commission on water and sanitation in this regard, seeking its permission for release of funds to the plants so that they could resume supplying water to drought-hit Tharis.

He invited people to visit Thar and note the visible change in the area. Those who had visited Thar a decade back must visit it now to see the change was evident. PPP government had built road infrastructure and provided medical facilities at par with any healthcare facility in a major city.

About corruption in Sindh University, he said that graft charges would be probed and action would be taken against the accused. Nobody was above the law and if Shahbaz Sharif was accused of corruption he must face it provided his arrest should be in line with law, he said.

Mr Shah said that Sindh government was resolving all issues in Thar. Conditions in the desert region were better now than they were 10 to 12 years back, he said.

Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani who was also in the town told journalists at Hyderabad Development Authority office that PTI was the first government which had become so unpopular within just 55 days after being elected to power.

He criticised PTI ministers and said he had seen a photo of a PTI’s minister offering prayer in office. “What is so unusual about it? I offer prayers daily but why should I release its photos? It is my job to cater to sanitation but why should I be projecting it. It may help me to some extent if my photo with a broom in the hand is published but it will definitely not cleanse the entire province,” he remarked.

About National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Mr Ghani said the anti-graft body had been used as a tool against opponents since it was created by Sharif government in 1997. Shahbaz Sharif’s arrest was controversial and the way Saad Rafiq’s name had been put on exit control list smacked of mala fide intentions, he said.

He hailed PTI government’s decision of Rs50bn package for Karachi and said the packages for Karachi and Hyderabad must be implemented and funds should also be released for other cities.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2018