HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party’s central leader Syed Naveed Qamar has said provincial rights guaranteed under 18th Amendment and NFC Award cannot not be done away with and federal government will have to clear Sindh’s doubts over these issues.

He said at an inauguration ceremony for ambulance service for government hospitals of Tando Ghulam Hyder and Shaikh Bhirkio in Tando Mohammad Khan district on Sunday that PPP had clearly stated in and outside the assembly that people should be provided relief in the budget.

He said the federal government would have to make changes in the federal budget as it had indicated that it would discuss the issues and find out their solution through talks to get the budget approved. If the government did not fulfil its promise then PPP would take a clear position, he said.

He said that Sindh must also be given its due share in the federal budget. The provincial rights guaranteed under 18th Amendment and NFC Award could not be done away with, he said.

He urged the federal government to clear Sindh government’s misgivings in this regard through mutual consultation.

The former federal minister for defence said that Israel had become scared now after massacring innocent Palestinians. Pakistan stood for peace in Iran-Israel conflict because the world could not afford any war, he said.

He said that any war could lead to exceptional increase in oil prices on global level and therefore it was imperative that everyone should strive for peace.

He maintained that Israeli aggression was roundly condemnable and said this state [Israel] must be prevailed upon to stop it from committing atrocities against oppressed nations. Pakistan had backed Iran following Israeli aggression, he said, adding Palestine’s sovereignty should be accepted.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2025