UMERKOT, Aug 23: Sindh Minister for Population Welfare Syed Ali Mardan Shah, who is also district president of PPP Umerkot, has said that stone pitching work of Mithrao canal was carried out on the proposal of Nawab Muhammad Yusuf Talpur in his constituency to improve irrigation water capacity in the canal. The work had cost Rs300 million, he added.

He was addressing a news conference along with four PPP taluka presidents to rebut allegations levelled by the MNA and his MPA son Nawab Taimur Talpur. He said that notice inviting tenders (NIT) of 124 schemes of roads had been given, out of which 40 schemes were proposed by Nawab Yousuf Talpur. Of them work on over 80 schemes was going on.

The provincial minister said that six high schools were upgraded on his request in the constituency of Nawab Taimur Talpur.

Speaking on the occasion four taluka presidents of PPP including Kunri, Samaro, Pithoro and Umerkot, complained that Mr Yusuf Talpur never gave them a single job or development scheme while Syed Ali Mardan Shah always supported them.

Replying to a question Mr Shah said that the plot in question was allotted after approval of the local government minister to a man from minority.

Regarding the upcoming elections, he said that if the party awarded NA ticket to Nawab Yusuf Talpur and PA seat to him, he would comply with the party decision.

On Wednesday, Mr Talpur in his press conference had alleged that the provincial government had released millions of rupees for canal desilting work in Thar division on a request by minister for population welfare, but it did not consider a proposal submitted by him for building a canal network in Mithrao.

It seems that a tug of war has started between two PPP parliamentarians as the two sides are pointing fingers at each other.