UMERKOT: Federal Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Sunday inaugurated the Bachao Bund-Raja Rasti section and Umerkot-Chhor road recently widened by the National Highway Authority. He also laid the foundation stone of several other development projects costing Rs950 million. The projects are aimed at providing better travel facility to the people of Umerkot, Tharparkar and Mirpurkhas and visitors to these districts.

Senior NHA officers briefed the minister about the road projects.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh, MNA Lal Chand Malhi and local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) accompanied the federal minister during his visit to Umerkot.

Murad Saeed also addressed PTI workers’ convention and public meeting, which coincided with the ‘Sindh Culture Day’ observed across Sindh on Sunday. MNA Malhi organised a rally, to mark the day, which was attended by the governor, federal minister and all PTI leaders and activists present at the events. They congratulated the people of Sindh on the occasion.

Murad Saeed says PTI will form govt in Sindh after 2023 general elections

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi also addressed the rally and workers’ convention by phone.

Speaking at the public meeting, held at Allah Wala Chowk, Murad Saeed said that Pakistan Peoples Party had ruined Sindh during its 13 years of rule over it. “It has destroyed the education, health and all other sectors and failed to provide basic amenities to the masses,” he added.

The minister said that the Sindh government also failed to maintain law and order in the province. “Police are being used to implicate PTI leaders and other political opponents in fake cases for raising their voice against PPP leaders’ misdeeds,” he alleged.

Mr Saeed said that [PPP chairman] Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari portrayed his party as ‘champion of democracy’ but it was not allowing Leader of the Opposition Haleem Sheikh even to speak in the Sindh Assembly.

“No member of the opposition has been given representation in Sindh Assembly’s committees,” he said, and wondered that Faryal Talpur and Sharjeel Inam Memon were picked as members of the accountability committee of the house.

The federal minister pointed out that Prime Minister Imran Khan introduced ‘Insaf Health Card’ for the poor. People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan have been availing this great facility. People of Punjab will also get it next month. “But the Sindh chief minister and Zardari-League are not allowing introduction of the facility in this province,” he regretted.

Murad Saeed also accused Sindh government of committing mega corruption claiming that the federal government had released Rs600 billion for the people of Sindh but the provincial government deposited this huge amount into [Asif Ali] Zardari’s fake accounts.

“The prices of wheat flour, sugar and other essential commodities in Sindh are higher as compared to those in other provinces due to wrong policies and corrupt practices of the provincial government,” he said

The PTI minister held PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari responsible for the bad governance and anti-people policies, and alleged that he was involved in occupying almost all sugar mills in the province by misusing the state authority.

He said people had now developed political sense and would reject anti-people forces next time. He expressed his confidence that the PTI would emerge victorious in the 2023 general elections and form its government in this province as well.

Addressing the workers’ convention, Governor Imran Ismail said he had been receiving complaints against the police department and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco). He warned the inspector-general of police against recruiting criminals in his department. When PTI would form its government in Sindh, such elements would find no place to hide, he said.

He also asked Hesco to stop causing trouble and inconvenience to its consumers. “Hesco is a federal institution but it is creating problems for people,” he remarked, and held out the assurance that he would take up the power utility’s performance with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2021