MIRPURKHAS, March 27: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that the Sindh government has talked to authorities of the Pakistan Railways to run the Thar Express from Mirpurkhas to Khokhropar to provide job opportunities to people of the area.

“Railways authorities have been approached to run the Thar Express from Mirpurkhas and they say the matter will be processed further following a survey,” Mr Arbab told newsmen after performing stone-laying ceremony for the rehabilitation work on the 12-kilometre Chhore-Rana Jagir road near Umerkot on Saturday.

He said summaries on cases of corruption had been sent to the Anti-Corruption Establishment to punish delinquent officials as per law.

He denied reports about the cabinet expansion and said that implementation of the Thar package had begun. If any official was found involved in corruption, the government would take stern legal action against him, he warned.

He said he gave priority to the establishment of industries in Sindh, and directed the health department and district governments to make efforts for overcoming tuberculosis and hepatitis diseases.

He said his government aimed to spread network of metallic roads in the province. The rehabilitation of the Chhore-Rana Jagir road cost Rs60 million, he said expressing hope it would be completed by June this year.

Work on 64 more road schemes costing over Rs1 billion was going on in the district, he said adding there was a proposal to hand over Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas-Zero point road to National Highway Authority.

Work on the construction of a road between Jalu Jo Chaunro and Khokhropar would begin within a fortnight, he added.