KHAIRPUR: Chief Min­is­ter Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday held out the assurance that all uplift schemes for the shrine of great sufi Saint Sachal Sar­mast would be approved and executed as per the com­mitment of his government.

All promises regarding funds and facilities for Daraza Sharif would be fulfilled, he added.

Mr Shah was speaking to the media while visiting the shrine on the second day of the 198th urs celebration of Sachal Sarmast in Daraza Sharif. He laid a wreath on the grave of the sufi saint and offered fateha.

The CM also distributed gifts among poor and needy persons.

In reply to a question, Mr Shah said that Sindh was indeed facing a financial crisis but his government was fully capable to over­come it.

When asked about the appreciation of US dollar and price hike in the coun­try, the CM Sindh it should better be asked from those at the helm of the affairs. He, however, commented that the situation was bound to add poor people’s miseries.

He observed that the Pak­istan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government did not have control on economy, prices and other major issues. He said he could only pray that it was advised to focus on governance instead of other issues.

CM Shah also rejected allegations that transfers and postings in Sindh were being made on a political basis. He pointed out that in Punjab, four IGs were trans­ferred, and argued: “Were they transferred on a politi­cal basis?”

He also pointed out that the Sindh government also introduced the same Police Order 2002 which the PTI people believed was a better system. “Then why Sindh gov­ern­ment is being accu­sed of using political influ­ence and pressure tac­tics?” he asked.

He insisted that his government had the autho­rity to transfer not only police officers but also the entire bureaucracy.

“People elect a govern­ment for the very purpose, so that it could serves them,” he said.

When his comment was sought on Railways Minister Shaikh Rashid’s statement regarding spread of HIV/AIDS in Sindh, Mr Shah said you better ask this question without referring to Shaikh Rashid. He said his government was seriously concerned over such a large number of cases emerging in the province.

He said the government had already taken prompt and appropriate action in this regard.

He pointed out that specialists were there to deal with the situation while experts were looking into the spread of the diseases. Moreover, he added, the government was working on an effective awareness campaign to sensitise people on the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Regarding the Railways ministry, he said he came across some press reports suggesting that the Rail­ways was facing a Rs28bn deficit. It’s up to Shaikh Rashid now if he could save it or let it sink, he remarked.

When asked about the oppositions forces’ joining hands to launch a movement against the PTI government after Eid, the CM said that only top leaders of the opposition parties would decide what sort of protest it would be.

CM Shah was accom­panied by Auqaf Minister Faraz Hussain Dero, Sachal Sarmast shrine custodian Mian Abdul Haq Farooqui-III, MNA Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, MPAs Sajid Hussain Bhanban, Naeem Ahmed Kharal, Ghazala Sial and Munawar Wassan as well as Sukkur Commiss­ioner Rafique Ahmed Bur­iro, Khairpur DC Moha­m­mad Naeem Sindhu and senior officials of various departments.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2019