SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday wondered how and from where bandits operating in Ghotki, Kandhkot-Kash-more and Shikarpur districts obtained heavy and sophisticated weapons.

He said that he had a meeting with IGP on the deteriorating law and order conditions in the three upper Sindh districts and expressed hope the situation would soon be brought under control as they were going to make police active and help it restore peace in the volatile areas at the earliest.

The chief minister accompanied by provincial ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Mukesh Chawala was speaking to journalists at the residence of former PPP senator Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar in Ubouro on Saturday. Earlier, he condoled with the senator over death of his elder sister.

Shah said that the law and order had crumbled in the three districts and expressed surprise at the dacoits’ ability to obtain heavy and sophisticated weapons.

He blamed Imran Khan government’s flawed deals with International Mone-tary Fund for the skyrocketing inflation in the country. “We are making efforts to strengthen rupee against dollar,” he said.

He said that Sindh government was trying to control inflation in the province and claimed that now flour was available for under Rs100 a kilo in Sindh.

Afterwards, Mr Shah arrived in Joona village in Shaheed Fazil Rahu taluka to condole with Syed Salman Shah over the death of his father, scholar and senior politician Syed Ali Mir Shah.

During the visit, the CM announced provision of 24-hour health service at the village’s basic health unit. He directed commissioner of Hyderabad and deputy commissioner of Badin to take action against elements selling sunflower seed and fertilizer at exorbitant rates after hearing farmers’ complaints that traders were fleecing them.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2023