Goods transport not halted in Sindh, clarifies Wahab

Provincial government spokesperson criticises PM and his aide for making 'false claims, playing blame game'

KARACHI: In response to the claims of essential goods transportation being suspended in Sindh, made by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has clarified that the movement of vehicles supplying such goods was not restricted anywhere in the province.

Speaking in this regard on Wednesday, Wahab gave assurances about the uninterrupted supply of edibles and other daily-use items from the port to different parts of Sindh. "No restriction has been imposed on the supply of daily-use items by the Sindh government," he said.

Earlier, addressing a press conference after a federal cabinet meeting, Awan had remarked, "The prime minister has expressed his displeasure in strong words over the fact that despite the National Coordination Committee's (NCC) decision to keep transport lines open for essential goods in all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Sindh government has not implemented the decision."

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She had said that the cabinet was told that the NCC's decisions were not implemented in their true spirit in Sindh, adding that all imports and exports took place at the port in Sindh and exporters were facing several challenges because of the administrative measures, lockdown and ban on goods transport in the province.

Reacting to Awan's claims, Wahab said that her awareness of the situation was "lamentable" and that she should "abstain from playing the blame game." He went on to say that Prime Minister Imran Khan's statements about shutting down the Karachi port were an "exaggeration and false claims."

Wahab said that the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had also refuted the rumours of food shortage, adding that fuelling such misinformation encouraged hoarders. "We should refrain from spreading misinformation, especially during these challenging times," he remarked.