KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Sunday hit hard at the Pakistan Peoples Party government in the province alleging that the provincial government had failed to bring even one bus to Karachi in its 13-year-long rule.

He was speaking at a thalassaemia screening camp organised by the Kashif Iqbal Thal­assaemia Career Centre at Governor House.

Talking about the federal-funded Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System, he said that for this project, 40 buses would reach Karachi from China within a month.

“The journey by these buses will be very comfortable. The fare would be kept low and the completion of the project would also resolve traffic congestion issue in the city,” he said.

‘It failed to bring even a single bus to Karachi in 13 years’

Taking a dig at the PPP-led government in Sindh, he said it was unfortunate that the provincial government had not been able to bring even a single bus to Karachi in 13 years and people were forced to travel in old and outdated buses.

Replying to a question regarding health cards, Governor Ismail said the federation had distributed health cards in Tharparkar and Umerkot. The cards could only be distributed throughout the province through joint ventures between the federation and the province, he said, adding that part of payment had to be made by the federal government while rest would be borne by the provincial government.

He said the federal government also made an offer to the Sindh government, which turned it down.

“It hurts when I see people all over Pakistan are getting health cards but people of Sindh are deprived of it,” he said, adding that at present, 100 per cent people in Khyber Pakht­unkhwa and Baloch­istan while 60pc people in Punjab had been issued health cards.

Need stressed for thalassaemia screening

Speaking about thalassaemia, the governor said it was a hereditary disease and people needed to be tested to remain safe from it in order to save future generations from sufferings.

The governor and his wife also gave their blood samples for tests at the camp.

The governor said sincere and honest leadership would do everything for its people so that the masses did not have to go through pain and suffering. “Prime Minister Imran Khan is working for the betterment of the country and the nation with the same thinking and passion.”

He said the legislation existed in the country regarding thalassaemia but unfortunately it was not being fully implemented.

He said the prime minister had formed committees at the federal level for its effective implementation. “We are trying to set up as many test camps as possible but wherever it is available, people should definitely get themselves tested.”

The governor’s wife said that with precautionary measures and awareness, the disease could be prevented. Proper and timely blood tests could save future babies from this deadly disease, she added.

She expressed the hope that her efforts would create awareness among the masses and help eradicate the disease from the country.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2021