SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that work on the remaining two sections of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway will begin soon as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now paid attention to Sindh government’s strong plea in this regard.

He was speaking to media personnel after inaugurating the 205th Urs of revered Sufi Saint Sakhi Abdul Wahab, popularly known as Sachal Sarmast, at Daraza Sharif shrine near Ranipur, in Khairpur district, on Thursday.

The CM was accompanying the shrine’s third custodian (sajjada nasheen) Khawaja Abdul Haq Farooqui while laying a chadar on the grave of Sachal Sarmastto formally kick off the Urs celebrations.

Provincial ministers, including Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, Nawab Khan Wassan, MPA Hallar Khan Wassan, Agha Shahbaz Khan Durrani, Khawaja Nazarul Haq Farooqui and others were also present.

Inaugurates 205th Urs of revered Sufi Saint Sachal Sarmast at Daraza Sharif, Khairpur

Later, answering media personnel’s questions, Murad Ali Shah recalled that his government had strongly taken up the issue of incomplete motorway with the PM and relevant federal authorities. He said the federal government was told that while motorways were being built across the country, there was no motorway in Sindh.

Protests were recorded from time to time in this regard, he said, and thanked the prime minister for finally paying attention to the issue.

The CM said that the motorway project was divided in five sections of which work had started on three, while the same on the remaining two would also begin soon.

He said that a few days ago, the Sindh chief secretary wrote a letter to the federal authority informing them about the frequent fatal road accidents that occurred in the previous month.

He shared that he had a meeting with the prime minister, who immediately issued instructions to the National Highways Authority (NHA) chairman in this regard.

Turning to the situation prevailing in the world following US-Israel attack on Iran, the chief minister termed the situation ‘alarming’; and said that conditions had deteriorated due to the war imposed on Iran by Israel, and the situation had become even more grave following the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mentioning the tragic incident in Karachi, he said the US Embassy had not been closed, although its staff had been called back.

In response to a question, Syed Murad Ali Shah shared that a meeting with the ministers of home and planning had already taken place, and discussions regarding the construction of infrastructure in the riverine (katcha) areas were in progress.

He added that the government would provide all possible facilities in the area while a large contingent of police and Rangers was already present there.

In reply to another question, he said that wherever terrorism existed, the Pakistan Peoples Party opposed it. The leader of his party, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, was herself a victim of terrorism, he added.

He stated that the Pakistan Army was carrying out vigorous operations against terrorists.

While visiting the shrine, the CM prayed for the safety and security of the country, nation, region and the Ummah.

Later, the CM visited the residence of Khawaja Abdul Haq Farooqui who presented him with an Ajrak and a special shield.

Sukkur Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi and Deputy Commissioner Altaf Ahmed Chachar distributed commemorative shields among the chief minister, provincial ministers and other officers while devotees of Sachal Sarmast performed ‘Sachal ka sur’ (the melodies of Sachal).

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2026