HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the federal government was flouting a constitutional requirement by delaying the overdue National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

He was speaking to reporters in Hala on Sunday after visiting Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman to condole with him the death of his mother and a widow of former president of the Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarian (PPP-P) Makhdoom Amin Faheem.

The chief minister noted that the new NFC Award was to be announced in 2015 but fulfilment of the constitution requirement had already been delayed by two years.

Commenting on the national economy, Mr Shah said that it was facing several issues. Our exports have been registering a drastic decline since 2013; concerted and collective efforts are needed to bring about an improvement in the economy, according to him.

In reply to a question, the CM said that best security arrangements were made to ensure complete peace from the 1st of Muharram to the Ashura, and pointed out that around 31,000 foreigners visited Karachi during these days to attend different religious events.

He told a questioner, that his government had taken notice of suspicious movement of some armed people in Sehwan.

Mr Shah was of the view that public gatherings in cities should be held away from their central areas so as to avoid inconvenience to the general public and help police maintain law and order. He said political parties were at liberty to hold their public meetings but only with the permission of the civil administration concerned. “The PPP will also hold its Oct 18 public meeting in Hyderabad at a place away from the city.

Earlier in the morning, CM Murdad Ali Shah proceeded to the residence of Sharjeel Inam Memon in Tandojam where he chaired a meeting of local administration’s officials. Senior party leaders and ministers including Jam Khan Shoro, Fayyaz Butt, Imdad Pitafi and Dr Sikandar Mandhro were also present.

The meeting discussed a security plan for the Oct 18 public meeting. The chief minister asked for a proper traffic plan to avoid any trouble to the participants, commuters and other people. He said that separate parking arrangements should also be made for those coming to the public meeting from outside Hyderabad.

Mr Shoro briefed Mr Shah about the arrangements.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2017