Lack of funds: Govt discards Sindh’s projects from PSDP, says Qaim

Says PM has promised to address grievances of Sindh.

KARACHI:

The federal government has removed 11 important projects of Sindh from the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), says Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

Qaim – who has recently returned after attending the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and National Economic Council (NEC) meetings in Islamabad – said that he protested at the meetings against the federal government’s decision, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured him that the Sindh government’s grievances would be addressed.

Speaking to journalists at the PPP Media Cell, the chief minister further said the schemes removed from the PSDP include Karachi Circular Railway, Lyari Expressway, K-4 and S-3 projects for Karachi and one scheme related to Thar coal.

“When I inquired the reason, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal diverted our attention toward financial constraints faced by the country,” Qaim said.

Regarding other issues taken up at the CCI meeting, Shah said the federal government was insisting that Sindh should give water to Islamabad from its share, but he refused. “Sindh, being a tail-ender, is already suffering from acute shortage of water. Most areas of Karachi have no water. The dams and canals have been built to divert our water. How is it possible for us to agree to the federal government proposal?” he asked.

Qaim denied reports that a decision has been made to cut the provinces’ electricity dues at the source and said the provincial governments would be taken into confidence before any such decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2014.