LARKANA: Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, adviser to Sindh chief minister on universities and boards, said on Wednesday that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government was pursuing duplicitous policy on Sindh government’s demand for new police chief for the province.

Khuhro told journalists after visiting under-construction edifice of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) here that the Centre’s policy was aimed at creating problems for Pakistan Peoples Party’s government in Sindh.

He contended that when four IGPs in Punjab and two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could be replaced within a short span of time then on what grounds the Centre had blocked Sindh’s move. Sindh government had constitutional right to replace its IGP as the present police officer had become controversial and failed to maintain peace in the province, he said.

He criticised prime minister for dragging his feet on convening meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) and said the PTI-led federal government regarded PPP government as a thorn in its side because of the 18th Amendment. Centre was busy erecting obstacles to Sindh government’s functioning as the PTI had no place in this province, he said.

He said the CCI meeting every third month would become a proper forum for evolving working relationship between Centre and provinces but the prime minister was avoiding it. “We want CCI to be held regularly where issues among Centre and provinces could be discussed,” said Khuhro.

He said that National Finance Commission (NFC) award had not been announced since 2015 and despite huge financial aid from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and loans from IMF, the Centre had further cut development funds of provinces.

Khuhro said that federal government was solely responsible for crisis of skyrocketing prices of flour, sugar and wheat and said the prime minister had allowed wheat export to Afghanistan only to please his friends which contributed to the problem. If Passco had sold wheat to flour mills after allegedly receiving kickbacks, then Centre should be asked about it, he said.

He warned the prime minister to remember that people who had stood up against General Ayub Khan over a mere increase of 30 paisa in sugar price were fast getting sick of PTI government that was already walking on crutches.

Asked about Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur limiting their political activities after coming out on bail, Khuhro said that Zardari was at present in hospital while his son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was very much present in political arena and active in the party.

SIUT to be opened soon in Larkana

Khuhro said the 20-bed Larkana unit of SIUT would likely be opened within a couple of weeks as work had almost completed. After Karachi and Sukkur units, the Larkana SIUT would serve a big chunk of population where 25 dialysis machines would be installed.

He said that Sindh government had enhanced SIUT units’ grant so that they could continue to provide healthcare facilities to people.

Flanked by Larkana Mayor Khair Mohammad Shaikh, Khuhro said that a 600Kv generator had been installed to supply uninterrupted power to dialysis centre while a low-TDS reverse osmosis plant along with another one were also installed.

Dr Iqbal Daudpoto, in-charge of SIUT Sukkur, briefed the adviser and said that consultants would be available at the centre round the clock and reside in a hostel situated on the centre’s premises.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2020

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