DADU: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said the only thing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders are good at is criticism which they indulge in once again over breaches in FP dyke but he has chosen not to pay attention to them and keep doing what needs to be done.

The chief minister told journalists during a visit to the breach point at RD-75 of the dyke near Johi town on Sunday that the situation was caused by heavy rains in Johi and Khirthar range. The Sindh government was helping stranded people in flood-hit areas of Kachho in Dadu district, he said.

Accompanied by Sindh Minister for Irrigation Sohail Anwar Siyal, MPA Syed Salih Shah, Hyderabad commissioner Abbas Baloch and officers concerned of irrigation department, the chief minister said that minister for irrigation and district administration officials were available in the affected areas of Johi. PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari contacted him immediately after the disaster struck Johi and asked him to help flood-hit people, he said.

He said that Pak Army jawans and rescue teams were shifting stranded people from Kachho villages to safe places. Heavy rain had not only hit Sindh; it had battered all parts of the country equally but the PTI had zeroed in on Sindh, he said.

He warned that meteorology department had forecast more rains along coastal belt of Thatta, Badin and Karachi.

A large number of flood-affected people and local residents were waiting for the CM at the dyke but he left for Sehwan without talking to anyone.

At Sehwan, the chief minister said while talking to media persons that shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar would be reopened soon and people would be allowed in after observance of SOPs.

People should continue to remain on their guard against coronavirus as it was necessary to wear masks but many people were seen making light of it, he said.

He warned if people did not follow precautions against the virus lockdown might have to be imposed again. Sindh would continue to conduct coronavirus tests although the province had already carried out more tests than the three provinces combined, he said.

The chief minister was accompanied by MNA Sikandar Ali Rahpoto, PPP leader Asif Shah and Shaman Rahpoto during his visit of the town.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2020