'Sindh will always remain one province'

Apprehensions regarding census remain unaddressed, says CM

KARACHI: Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has vowed that Pakistan Peoples Party will not allow any political force to divide the province.

"The two parties [Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP)] slog it out against each other and later call for dividing Sindh," Shah said while talking to the media at his village near Sehwan in Jamshoro district, on Saturday. "Sindh is one province and will remain one. We will protect every inch of our motherland," he vowed.

Shah also suggested that an inquiry should be conducted to probe serious accusations of the establishment's involvement which the two parties hurled against each other. He said he felt pleased after MQM-Pakistan and PSP formed an alliance but they split up within 24 hours.



Over the resignation of former federal minister, Dr Asim Hussain, he clarified that the party did not ask Hussain to quit the party. He claimed that Dr Hussain resigned for personal reasons and referring to the court's permission for his travel abroad for his medical treatment.

Shah said that the police are still looking for the third suspect involved in the Sehwan shrine blast which killed 88 people and injured 150 on February 16. The Counter- Terrorism Department on Thursday declared arrest of one of the suspects, Nadir Ali alias Murshid. He revealed that another bomb-planner, Ghulam Murtaza alias Doctor, was killed in Mastung, Balochistan in a clash with the security personnel, while Punjab based Saifullah is still at large. He identified the suicide bomber as Barar Brohi.

 Census
Shah reiterated that Sindh's apprehensions regarding the national population census remained unaddressed. He said that he shared his concerns over the issue in the recent meeting of the Council of Common Interests.

The CM said that the PPP wanted timely general elections in Pakistan and opposed postponement of the elections under any pretext. He claimed that the provincial government wanted to provide government jobs to the youth on the basis of merit. However, he regretted the number of unemployed youth outnumbered the available government vacancies.

He assured the local community that the decade-long problem of contamination of Manchar Lake, one of the biggest in Asia, will be addressed on priority. According to him, the funds for the construction of the Right Bank Outfall Drain, which will divert the flow of Main Nara Valley drain from Manchar towards the sea, have been released.