NAWABSHAH, Oct 19: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that poverty has increased up to 25 per cent in the country during the last 13 years as per figures given by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

He was addressing a gathering commemorating the 25th death anniversary of MRD martyrs at Punhal Khan Chandio village near Sakrand on Sunday.

The chief minister said that the figures provided by World Bank and Asian Development Bank mentioned that poverty has increased from 25 per cent to 50 per cent during the last 13 years due to bad governance and corruption.

He further said that PPP government was trying its best to provide relief to the public but they could not correct the wrongs of 13 years in six months.

He further said that Pakistan, and particularly Sindh, was pushed almost 30 years back during last 13 years under a conspiracy.

He said that Benazir Bhutto’s government was removed under a well-planned conspiracy in 1996 after which a long era of dictatorship was imposed on the people but she kept trying and came up with politics of reconciliation.

He further said that a great and dynamic leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto created a situation and forced Musharraf to doff his uniform.

He said that a reconciliation ordinance- NRO- was introduced though which other parties got more benefits and thousands of their cases were withdrawn but the conspirators withheld the ordinance as they did not want a political reconciliation and Benazir Bhutto’s return to the country.

He said that the opponents were criticising PPP regarding the reinstatement of chief justice and judiciary but they could not see or talk about the poverty and other major issues facing the country.

He said that Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto provided Roti, Kapra and Makaan to the poor public and worked for the prosperity of the people.

He said that the people, who used to criticise Shaheed Benazir Bhutto during her life, were now claiming to be her legal heirs, and reminded them that only the people of Pakistan were heirs of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

He said that all the sacked employees of Steel Mills, PIA and Port Qasim were reinstated with all back benefits on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari.

He said that more than 50,000 jobless youth of the province would be provided jobs in a couple of weeks.

He further said that government has also started Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Youth Development Programme in which poor people would be given jobs without any interview and their eligibility would be poverty.

The chief minister announced that family members of all the martyr party workers would get compensation, jobs and a plot along with finances for the construction.

Sindh Revenue Minster, Syed Murad Ali Shah, said that 17 PPP workers reciting Holy Qura’n were martyred as they raised their voice against the dictatorship.

He said that conspirators also tried to kill Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on October 18 last year but she was saved by Allah. However, more than 180 workers lost their lives.