HYDERABAD, Feb 5: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that many issues related to provincial autonomy will be resolved by the federal government.Speaking on Monday outside the home of Sindh United Party chief Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah in Jamshoro at a public meeting held for the by-election for the provincial assembly seat PS-71, the chief minister said President Pervez Musharraf had said that autonomy must be given to the provinces.

He paid tribute to late G.M. Syed, the founder of Jeay Sindh Tahrik, for launching a struggle for the rights of Sindh. “There were days when anyone raising voice for Sindh was dubbed a traitor but it was due to the struggle by late G.M. Syed that today we are openly talking about rights of our province,” he said. He criticised the Pakistan People’s Party for keeping G.M. Syed in jail.

People had been whipped and imprisoned in the past for raising voice for provincial autonomy, he said.

The chief minister said he had opposed construction of the Kalabagh dam, and because of this the president had announced construction of the Bhasha dam, although its feasibility report was not ready.

He said the Sindh government was working for provincial autonomy and many issues in this regard would be resolved by the federal government.

Dr Rahim said the government didn’t need to resort to rigging the elections because people were fed up with the PPP, as they needed development and access to the leaders.

He said Malik Asad, backed by the PPP, had won election of the District nazim but the PML-Jalal Shah alliance in Jamshoro would grow stronger. He urged people to vote for PML candidate Pir Mujeeb Shah Jillani in the by-election.

He said Punjab and Sindh might have their own opinions on different matters but when it came to protecting the federation there would be no difference.

He criticised the performance of former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

He said he would give additional funds for development in Larkana and Sehwan.

The chief minister said he would ask the ministry of science and technology to shift one of its planned private universities to Jamshoro from Ganjju Takkar in Hyderabad.

He directed irrigation department to hand over documents of the R.B.B Colony to the Board of Revenue for allotment orders. He said a trauma centre would be built in Jamshoro.

“There is no dearth of funds today in Sindh. Around Rs30 billion are lying in the State Bank while receipts of six months are yet to be counted,” he said.

He announced upgrading of Kotri taluka hospital to the level of civil hospital.

He said Jamshoro could be given the status of taluka at an appropriate time.

Dr Rahim said the teachers retrenched in 1998 should consider themselves reinstated if they can furnish their original documents of employment.

Sindh Revenue Minister Dr Irfan Gul Magsi said the creation of new districts had benefited people. He said the provincial government had begun regularising villages under the Gothabad Scheme.

The Chief Minister’s Adviser Nuzhat Pathan said funds for the Kalabagh dam had been earmarked by a PPP government led by Benazir Bhutto although it was opposed by party workers.