Thar situation not as bad as being reported, claims Sindh govt

During assembly session, PPP MPAs defend govt’s actions, highlight development in region

KARACHI: During a debate on the Thar situation during Wednesday’s Sindh Assembly session, opposition members held the government responsible for the children’s deaths but the government, setting aside the allegations, claimed the situation in Sindh is better than Afghanistan and 25 other countries.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that, out of a total 196 countries in the world, Pakistan stands at 26 in terms of infant mortality. “The Thar situation is not as bad as is being reported in the media,” he said. “In Afghanistan around 115 children per 1,000 births lost their lives, as compared to Pakistan where this figure stands at 55,” he said. “The situation in Thar is better, as this ratio stands at 35 deaths per 1,000 births,” he claimed, adding that three children per 1,000 births die in Singapore and 10 in the US.



Dr Mandhro said the PPP government is now conducting a survey of women in reproductive age and has now appointed around 600 lady health workers to create awareness among these women about health issues, with the provision of basic health facilities.

Opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan criticised the government’s failure to mitigate the Thar issue and diverted the attention of the House towards the Rs700 billion budget, which according to him, has not been used to help the poor. “Can the PPP-led government tell us about one model union council in the province where they have provided all basic facilities?” he asked, adding that expired ORS packets were distributed among the poor and mobile ambulances were seen standing at the residence of a powerful PPP minister. “If it was wrong then why did you not issue a clarification?” asked Hasan, who came to the house with a bundle of newspaper clippings. “These reports have exposed the real face of the government.”

The opposition leader claimed the Sindh government’s budget is more than that of 48 countries but it allocates the funds only on paper. “Utilisation is zero as compared to the allocation of funds,” he alleged.

“Those who are criticising the incumbent government have never even visited Thar,” responded Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. “You are commenting while sitting in Karachi. Have you ever seen Dahli Taluka of Thar?” he asked, pointing a finger at the opposition leader and his party members.



He claimed that the Sindh government has given more than 7,000 jobs to the people of Thar people, built 11,000 kilometres of roads and installed around 400 RO plants to provide potable water to the people. “We have signed various agreements of around $2 billion investment for Thar and this figure will reach $4 billion soon,” he claimed, adding that the previous governments had ignored Thar but the PPP has now taken it up it on their priority list.

The CM insisted that the death ratio in Thar has been reduced. “I assure you that one day all you people will appreciate our government for initiating the Thar coal project and other issues, which will compel people to visit this area,” he claimed.



Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Syed Sardar Ahmed stressed the need to form a development committee comprising MPAs, area deputy commissioners and district council chairpersons to look after development scheme. He added that Sindh has abundant resources but does not consider strengthening its institutions.



Health Minister Jam Mahtab Dahar claimed his department had equipped all tehsil hospitals with basic facilities by providing incubators, lady doctors and gynecologists, as well as paramedics. “Before we came to power in 2008, there was not a single lady doctor in Thar. We have now changed the situation in entire Thar,” he remarked.

First timer

Opposition parties slammed Sindh home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal for not giving proper answers to their questions during the assembly session. After his appointment, this was his first experience giving answers on the assembly floor. The home secretary, additional home secretary, prison IG and other officials of his department sitting in the officers’ gallery tried to facilitate Siyal by sending notes but he could not respond properly.

“Why are these chits from the officer’s gallery being given to him? Why is he himself not giving answers to our questions?” shouted Pakistan Muslim League - Functional MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi. When he failed to understand the cross questions, the minister used the words “yes”, “no” and “fresh question” while replying to the opposition members queries.

The opposition members laughed at and taunted him, when he responded to a question with, “Around 65 vehicles were snatched from July 2012 to Dec 2012 and we have recovered 104 vehicles.”

He became so nervous that when MQM MPA Heer Ismail Sohu asked, “How is this possible? Total 65 vehicles have been snatched and police have recovered 104. I cannot understand this,” the home minister looked to the officer’s gallery for help from his department officials, for which the opposition members criticised him greatly.

MPA Arshad Vohra resigns

During the session, MQM MPA Dr Arshad Vohra, who has been nominated as deputy mayor of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation by the MQM, tendered his resignation from his provincial assembly seat. In his brief speech, Dr Vohra thanked his party chief for giving him the opportunity to serve as a provincial assembly member and nominating him for the post of deputy mayor. He also thanked his parliamentary party, the opposition and PPP members for extending cooperation in the assembly and lauded the speaker and deputy speaker’s role in running the session. After his speech, he submitted his resignation to the Sindh Assembly secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th,  2016.