KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday alleged that the federal government went against the decision of the Supreme Court and violated the Constitution by deducting Rs31.9 billion out of Rs35bn at source from the 15-day share of the Sindh government.

He said the centre released only Rs3bn to cripple the provincial government financially.

He briefed editors of newspapers and directors of news channels about the “step-motherly” attitude of the federal government towards Sindh and sensitised them about the issues such as ‘at source deduction’ from Sindh government share, water and gas shortage, imposition of unilateral (transfer/posting) rotation policy.

He also discussed price hikes, unemployment, economic crisis, curbs against media and various other social issues against which PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had become a ‘loud-voice’ by leading a long march from Karachi to Islamabad from Feb 27.

The CM said that under the 1991 Water Accord, the provinces had to share water surpluses as well as shortages in accordance with the formula agreed on, but during the ongoing shortages, rabi/kharif seasons, Sindh had been deprived of its due share.

He said that under the accord, the Indus River System Authority was created to implement the agreement in true letter and spirit, but it had failed to do its job judiciously.

The CM said that Council of Common Interest had assigned the task to then Attorney General Anwar Mansoor to study the grievances of Sindh and recommend legal position but the prime minister on the request of the Punjab chief secretary did not approve his report.

He said that the federal government had imposed unilateral transfer/posting rotation policy of the federal officers working in the province and under the policy they had transferred officers from Sindh and forcing them to relinquish charge and join their new place of posting.

He said that his government was already facing shortage of officers and if the officers posted in Sindh were relieved there would be a crisis-like situation in the provincial administration.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2022