KARACHI: Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Saturday claimed that it was the last tenure of the PPP government in Sindh because people of the province were fed up with the PPP’s policies of “plunder and corruption”.

He expressed these views while speaking to journalists after hearing of Malir by-elections and anti-encroachment operation cases in an antiterrorism court in Karachi.

Earlier, Mr Sheikh and others appeared before the ATC concerned. Due to absence of the government prosecutor and non-provision of copies of challan to respondents, the ATC adjourned the hearing of the case to August 30.

Later, speaking to media, Mr Sheikh said that he had appeared before a court in Ghotki the other day while he was present here in Karachi the next day.

“I have to appear before the courts in Malir and Umerkot as well as antiterrorism court,” he said adding that his “crime” should be unveiled before the people of Sindh who were watching that the opposition leader was attacked and then “framed in fake cases of terrorism as well”.

He said some provincial ministers were holding more than two portfolios while a large number of advisers and special assistants were included in the cabinet. The opposition leader added that they would move the courts against “illegal” steps of the provincial government.

Federal institutions were being mobilised in the province to ameliorate the situation while Prime Minister Imran Khan would also visit and hold public gatherings in Sindh, he said.

The federal government had earmarked Rs25 billion for dredging and clearing of main disposal channels and nullahs, including Gujjar, Orangi and Mehmoodabad nullahs in Karachi, he added.

The federal government was also taking care of basic issue of transport in the metropolis and people would see Green Line bus service plying on its

route in Karachi in September while work was also in progress on Karachi Circular Railway and Motorway projects, he said.

Haleem Sheikh lamented the Sindh government’s “unilateral and arbitrary decision of imposing harsh lockdown restrictions in Sindh” and remarked that such decision would cast negative impacts on national economy as a one-week long lockdown would push the country’s economy several months back.

“Livelihood of millions of people depends on daily wage work while health facilities in the province are also not adequate,” he said and added that Rs5bn was sanctioned in the previous year for the Sindh government to deal with Covid-19 situation, but they had not spent “a single rupee” and the entire budget lapsed.

The Sindh government did not procure “a single dose” of corona vaccine so far, he further claimed.

The PTI leader appealed to the masses to adopt precautionary measures, wear face masks and get themselves vaccinated against coronavirus because lack of health facilities and even shortage of hepatitis and anti-rabies vaccines in public hospitals “did not bother” the provincial executive.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2021